Fuel pod for hybrid electric aircraft

ABSTRACT

A fuel pod for a hybrid electric aircraft. The fuel pod includes a housing, a fuel tank, a generator and a connection mechanism. The fuel tank is contained within the housing and is configured to hold a fuel therein. The generator is contained within the housing and is connected to the fuel tank. The generator is configured to power at least one of a plurality of flight components of a hybrid electric aircraft. The connection mechanism is at the housing and is configured to removably attach the fuel pod to the hybrid electric aircraft. The connection mechanism includes an electrical interface configured to electrically link to at least one of the plurality of flight components of the hybrid electric aircraft, and a communication interface configured to communicatively link to a flight controller communicatively connected to the hybrid electric aircraft.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of aircraft powersystems. In particular, the present invention is directed to a fuel podfor a hybrid electric aircraft.

BACKGROUND

Hybrid electric aircraft utilize at least two sources of energy to powerthe aircraft. However, optimal management of the power systems of suchaircraft can be a complex task and involve challenges.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect a fuel pod for a hybrid electric aircraft is provided. Thefuel pod includes a housing, a fuel tank, a generator and a connectionmechanism. The fuel tank is contained within the housing and isconfigured to hold a fuel therein. The generator is contained within thehousing and is connected to the fuel tank. The generator is configuredto power at least one of a plurality of flight components of a hybridelectric aircraft. The connection mechanism is at the housing and isconfigured to removably attach the fuel pod to the hybrid electricaircraft. The connection mechanism includes an electrical interfaceconfigured to electrically link to at least one of the plurality offlight components of the hybrid electric aircraft, and a communicationinterface configured to communicatively link to a flight controllercommunicatively connected to the hybrid electric aircraft.

These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreview of the following description of specific non-limiting embodimentsof the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspectsof one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should beunderstood that the present invention is not limited to the precisearrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary embodiment of ahybrid electric aircraft;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a hybridelectric aircraft;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a fuel pod for ahybrid electric aircraft;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a power systemfor a hybrid electric aircraft;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of another exemplary embodiment of a powersystem for a hybrid electric aircraft;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a flightcontroller;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of amachine-learning module; and

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used toimplement any one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein and anyone or more portions thereof.

The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated byphantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. Incertain instances, details that are not necessary for an understandingof the embodiments or that render other details difficult to perceivemay have been omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however,that the present invention may be practiced without these specificdetails. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means“serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementationdescribed herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily tobe construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementationsprovided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use theembodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes ofdescription herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”,“front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “upward”, “downward”, “forward”,“backward” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the orientation inFIG. 1 . Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressedor implied theory presented in the preceding technical field,background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It isalso to be understood that the specific devices and processesillustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the followingspecification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventiveconcepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions andother physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosedherein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expresslystate otherwise.

At a high level, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to afuel pod for a hybrid electric aircraft. In an embodiment, hybridelectric aircraft may include a hybrid electric vertical takeoff andlanding (VTOL) aircraft. Aspects of the present disclosure can be usedto provide a self-contained and removably attachable for enhancingaircraft flight range. Aspects of the present disclosure can also beused to selectively use a fuel pod for powering hybrid electricaircraft. This is so, at least in part, because of the detachablefeatures of fuel pod which can include both a fuel tank and a generator.Aspects of the present disclosure advantageously allow for enhancedversatility to optimize performance based on factors such as payload,flight plan and flight mode. Hybridization can desirably offer enhancedpayload and flight range capabilities. For example, for a given payload,hybridization may extend flight range by about an order of magnitude.

In some cases, two fuel pods in conjunction with three battery packs maybe provided for hybrid electric aircraft. These fuel pods may also bereferred to as a “hybrid kit” which is removable attachable to aircraft.The attachment may include “bolt-on” certification which has regulatoryapproval such as a supplemental type certificate (STC) issued by theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA). The connection of the fuel pod toaircraft may advantageously utilize a n electrical interface and acommunication interface in combination with a mechanical interface.Advantageously, the simplicity and elegance of this design van add anadded dimension of value to certain embodiments of the invention. Eachfuel pod may be configured to generate a predetermined amount of power,as needed or desired. For instance, and without limitation, each fuelmay have a power capacity in the range from about 60 kW to about 500 kW.In some cases, each fuel pod may have a power capacity in the range fromabout 60 kW to about 85 kW. In some cases, each fuel pod may have apower capacity in the range from about 250 kW to about 500 kW. Fuel podmay be capable of powering flight components (e.g. electric motor, liftcomponent, pusher component, propulsor) of aircraft. Fuel pod may alsobe capable of charging or recharging one or more battery packs and/orbatteries of aircraft. This charging or recharging may be performedin-flight, as needed or desired. Fuel pod may be removably attached to asuitable structure of aircraft such as a boom, a wing, a fuselage, orthe like. In some cases, fuel pod may be removably attached to a lowersurface of a boom of aircraft. In some cases, a pair of fuel pods may beremovably attached to a respective one of a pair of booms of aircraft.Aircraft booms may be provided with hard points and/or ports tofacilitate removable connection with a connection mechanism and/orconnector of fuel pod. Desirably, a self-contained fuel pod includingboth a fuel tank (with integral fuel) and generator enhances the ease ofconverting an electric aircraft to a hybrid electric aircraft, as neededor desired. The connection mechanisms involved may be such so as tofacilitate removable attachment of other structures or pods to aircraft,for example, and without limitation, additional payload. Exemplaryembodiments illustrating aspects of the present disclosure are describedbelow in the context of several specific examples.

Referring now to FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of a hybrid electricaircraft 100 is illustrated. In an embodiment, hybrid electric aircraftmay include a hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL)aircraft. As used in this disclosure, an “aircraft” is any vehicle thatmay fly by gaining support from the air. As a non-limiting example,aircraft may include airplanes, helicopters, commercial, personal and/orrecreational aircrafts, instrument flight aircrafts, drones, electricaircrafts, hybrid electric aircrafts, electric aerial vehicles,airliners, rotorcrafts, vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts, jets,airships, blimps, gliders, paramotors, quad-copters, unmanned aerialvehicles (UAVs) and the like. As used in this disclosure, an “electricaircraft” is an electrically powered aircraft such as one powered by oneor more electric motors or the like. Electrically powered (or electric)aircraft may be an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL)aircraft. In some embodiments, aircraft may include a hybrid electricaircraft, for example and without limitation, an aircraft that may bepowered by two or more energy sources. Aircraft may be capable ofrotor-based cruising flight, rotor-based takeoff, rotor-based landing,fixed-wing cruising flight, airplane-style takeoff, airplane-stylelanding, and/or any combination thereof. Aircraft may include one ormore manned and/or unmanned aircrafts. Aircraft may include one or moreall-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircrafts. For example,and without limitation, eSTOL aircrafts may accelerate the plane to aflight speed on takeoff and decelerate the plane after landing. In anembodiment, and without limitation, aircraft may be configured with anelectric propulsion assembly. Including one or more propulsion and/orflight components. Electric propulsion assembly may include any electricpropulsion assembly (or system) as described in U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 16/703,225, filed on Dec. 4, 2019, and entitled “ANINTEGRATED ELECTRIC PROPULSION ASSEMBLY,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , as used in this disclosure, a “verticaltake-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft” is one that can hover, take off,and land vertically. An “electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft”or “eVTOL aircraft”, as used in this disclosure, is an electricallypowered VTOL aircraft. In order to optimize the power and energynecessary to propel the aircraft, eVTOL may be capable of rotor-basedcruising flight, rotor-based takeoff, rotor-based landing, fixed-wingcruising flight, airplane-style takeoff, airplane style landing, and/orany combination thereof. Rotor-based flight, as described herein, iswhere the aircraft generates lift and propulsion by way of one or morepowered rotors or blades coupled with an engine, such as a “quadcopter,” multi-rotor helicopter, or other vehicle that maintains itslift primarily using downward thrusting propulsors. “Fixed-wing flight”,as described herein, is where the aircraft is capable of flight usingwings and/or foils that generate lift caused by the aircraft's forwardairspeed and the shape of the wings and/or foils, such as airplane-styleflight.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, aircraft 100 is a hybridelectric aircraft and is powered by a hybrid electric power system. Ahybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or aircraft may be a type of hybridvehicle or aircraft that combines an internal combustion engine (ICE)system with an electric propulsion system. As used in the presentdisclosure, a “hybrid electric vehicle” or “hybrid electric aircraft” isany vehicle or aircraft that combines a minimum of two sources of energyfor propulsion. For example, and without limitation, the two sources canbe either gasoline or diesel fuel combined with a battery. In somehybrid vehicles or aircrafts, both of these power systems may propelvehicle or aircraft separately or together. As used in this disclosure,“a hybrid electric VTOL aircraft” is an aircraft that combines hybridelectric and VTOL features. In some embodiments, aircraft 100 mayinclude a hybrid electric aircraft. In some embodiments, aircraft 100may include a hybrid electric VTOL aircraft.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , hybrid electric aircraft 100, in someembodiments, may include a fuselage 104, flight component 108 (orplurality of flight components 108), a pilot control 120, a flightcontroller 124, a sensor (or aircraft sensor) 128 (or a plurality ofsensors (or aircraft sensors) 128), a pair of wings 132, a pair of booms136 and a power system 140. In one embodiment, flight components 108 mayinclude at least a lift component 112 (or a plurality of lift components112) and at least a pusher component 116 (or a plurality of pushercomponents 116). Hybrid electric aircraft and power system is alsodescribed further below with reference to at least FIG. 2 .

Still referring to FIG. 1 , as used in this disclosure a “fuselage” isthe main body of an aircraft, or in other words, the entirety of theaircraft except for the cockpit, nose, wings, empennage, nacelles, anyand all control surfaces, and generally contains an aircraft's payload.Fuselage 104 may include structural elements that physically support ashape and structure of an aircraft. Structural elements may take aplurality of forms, alone or in combination with other types. Structuralelements may vary depending on a construction type of aircraft such aswithout limitation a fuselage 104. Fuselage 104 may comprise a trussstructure. A truss structure may be used with a lightweight aircraft andcomprises welded steel tube trusses. A “truss,” as used in thisdisclosure, is an assembly of beams that create a rigid structure, oftenin combinations of triangles to create three-dimensional shapes. A trussstructure may alternatively comprise wood construction in place of steeltubes, or a combination thereof. In embodiments, structural elements maycomprise steel tubes and/or wood beams. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, structural elements may include an aircraft skin. Aircraftskin may be layered over the body shape constructed by trusses. Aircraftskin may comprise a plurality of materials such as plywood sheets,aluminum, fiberglass, and/or carbon fiber.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , it should be noted that an illustrativeembodiment is presented only, and this disclosure in no way limits theform or construction method of any of the aircrafts as disclosed herein.In embodiments, fuselage 104 may be configurable based on the needs ofthe aircraft per specific mission or objective. The general arrangementof components, structural elements, and hardware associated with storingand/or moving a payload and/or fuel pods or tanks may be added orremoved from fuselage 104 as needed, whether it is stowed manually,automatedly, or removed by personnel altogether. Fuselage 104 may beconfigurable for a plurality of storage and loading options. Bulkheadsand dividers may be installed and uninstalled as needed, as well aslongitudinal dividers where necessary. Bulkheads and dividers may beinstalled using integrated slots and hooks, tabs, boss and channel, orhardware like bolts, nuts, screws, nails, clips, pins, and/or dowels, toname a few. Fuselage 104 may also be configurable to accept certainspecific cargo containers and/or fuel pods or tanks, or a receptablethat can, in turn, accept certain cargo containers and/or fuel pods ortanks.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , hybrid electric aircraft 100 may include aplurality of laterally extending elements attached to fuselage 104. Asused in this disclosure a “laterally extending element” is an elementthat projects essentially horizontally from fuselage, including anoutrigger, a spar, and/or a fixed wing that extends from fuselage. Wings132 may be structures which include airfoils configured to create apressure differential resulting in lift. Wings 132 may generally bedisposed on the left and right sides of the aircraft symmetrically, at apoint between nose and empennage. Wings 132 may comprise a plurality ofgeometries in planform view, swept swing, tapered, variable wing,triangular, oblong, elliptical, square, among others. A wing's crosssection geometry may comprise an airfoil. An “airfoil” as used in thisdisclosure is a shape specifically designed such that a fluid flowingabove and below it exert differing levels of pressure against the topand bottom surface. In embodiments, the bottom surface of an aircraftcan be configured to generate a greater pressure than does the top,resulting in lift. Laterally extending element or wings may comprisediffering and/or similar cross-sectional geometries over its cord lengthor the length from wing tip to where wing meets the aircraft's body. Oneor more wings may be symmetrical about the aircraft's longitudinalplane, which comprises the longitudinal or roll axis reaching down thecenter of the aircraft through the nose and empennage, and the plane'syaw axis. Laterally extending element or wings may comprise controlssurfaces configured to be commanded by a pilot or pilots to change awing's geometry and therefore its interaction with a fluid medium, likeair. Control surfaces may comprise flaps, ailerons, tabs, spoilers, andslats, among others. The control surfaces may dispose on the wings in aplurality of locations and arrangements and in embodiments may bedisposed at the leading and trailing edges of the wings, and may beconfigured to deflect up, down, forward, aft, or a combination thereof.An aircraft, including a dual-mode aircraft may comprise a combinationof control surfaces to perform maneuvers while flying or on ground. Insome embodiments, winglets may be provided at terminal ends of the wingswhich can provide improved aerodynamic efficiency and stability incertain flight situations. In some embodiments, the wings may befoldable to provide a compact aircraft profile, for example, forstorage, parking and/or in certain flight modes.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1 , hybrid electric aircraft 100 may includeplurality of flight components 108. As used in this disclosure a “flightcomponent” is a component that promotes flight and guidance of anaircraft. Flight component 108 may include power sources, control linksto one or more elements, fuses, and/or mechanical couplings used todrive and/or control any other flight component. Flight component 108may include a motor that operates to move one or more flight controlcomponents, to drive one or more propulsors, or the like. A motor may bedriven by direct current (DC) electric power and may include, withoutlimitation, brushless DC electric motors, switched reluctance motors,induction motors, or any combination thereof. A motor may also includeelectronic speed controllers or other components for regulating motorspeed, rotation direction, and/or dynamic braking. Flight component 108may include an energy source. An energy source may include, for example,a generator, a photovoltaic device, a fuel cell such as a hydrogen fuelcell, direct methanol fuel cell, and/or solid oxide fuel cell, anelectric energy storage device (e.g. a capacitor, an inductor, and/or abattery), a turbine, an engine, and the like. An energy source may alsoinclude a battery cell, or a plurality of battery cells connected inseries into a module and each module connected in series or in parallelwith other modules. Configuration of an energy source containingconnected modules may be designed to meet an energy or power requirementand may be designed to fit within a designated footprint in an aircraft.An energy source may also include one or more fuel tanks.

With continued reference to FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, flight component108 may be mechanically coupled to an aircraft. As used herein, a personof ordinary skill in the art would understand “mechanically coupled” tomean that at least a portion of a device, component, or circuit isconnected to at least a portion of the aircraft via a mechanicalcoupling. Said mechanical coupling can include, for example, rigidcoupling, such as beam coupling, bellows coupling, bushed pin coupling,constant velocity, split-muff coupling, diaphragm coupling, disccoupling, donut coupling, elastic coupling, flexible coupling, fluidcoupling, gear coupling, grid coupling, hirth joints, hydrodynamiccoupling, jaw coupling, magnetic coupling, Oldham coupling, sleevecoupling, tapered shaft lock, twin spring coupling, rag joint coupling,universal joints, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment,mechanical coupling may be used to connect the ends of adjacent partsand/or objects of an electric aircraft. Further, in an embodiment,mechanical coupling may be used to join two pieces of rotating electricaircraft components.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, plurality of flightcomponents 108 of aircraft 100 may include at least a lift component 112and at least a pusher component 116. Flight component 108 may include apropulsor, a propeller, a motor, rotor, a rotating element, electricalenergy source, battery, and the like, among others. Each flightcomponent may be configured to generate lift and flight of hybridelectric aircraft. In some embodiments, flight component 108 may includeone or more lift components 112, one or more pusher components 116, oneor more battery packs including one or more batteries or cells, and oneor more electric motors. Flight component 108 may include a propulsor.As used in this disclosure a “propulsor component” or “propulsor” is acomponent and/or device used to propel a craft by exerting force on afluid medium, which may include a gaseous medium such as air or a liquidmedium such as water. In an embodiment, when a propulsor twists andpulls air behind it, it may, at the same time, push an aircraft forwardwith an amount of force and/or thrust. More air pulled behind anaircraft results in greater thrust with which the aircraft is pushedforward. Propulsor component may include any device or component thatconsumes electrical power on demand to propel an aircraft in a directionor other vehicle while on ground or in-flight.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, lift component 112 mayinclude a propulsor, a propeller, a blade, a motor, a rotor, a rotatingelement, an aileron, a rudder, arrangements thereof, combinationsthereof, and the like. Each lift component 112, when a plurality ispresent, of plurality of flight components 108 may be configured toproduce, in an embodiment, substantially upward and/or vertical thrustsuch that aircraft moves upward.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1 , as used in this disclosure a “liftcomponent” is a component and/or device used to propel a craft upward byexerting downward force on a fluid medium, which may include a gaseousmedium such as air or a liquid medium such as water. Lift component 112may include any device or component that consumes electrical power ondemand to propel an aircraft in a direction or other vehicle while onground or in-flight. For example, and without limitation, lift component112 may include a rotor, propeller, propulsor, paddle wheel and the likethereof, which may produce torque along a longitudinal axis and/or avertical axis. In an embodiment, lift component 112 includes a pluralityof blades. As used in this disclosure a “blade” is a propeller thatconverts rotary motion from an engine or other power source into aswirling slipstream. In an embodiment, blade may convert rotary motionto push the propeller forwards or backwards. In an embodiment liftcomponent 112 may include a rotating power-driven hub, to which areattached several radial airfoil-section blades such that the wholeassembly rotates about a longitudinal axis. Blades may be configured atan angle of attack. In an embodiment, and without limitation, angle ofattack may include a fixed angle of attack. As used in this disclosure a“fixed angle of attack” is fixed angle between a chord line of a bladeand relative wind. As used in this disclosure a “fixed angle” is anangle that is secured and/or unmovable from the attachment point. In anembodiment, and without limitation, angle of attack may include avariable angle of attack. As used in this disclosure a “variable angleof attack” is a variable and/or moveable angle between a chord line of ablade and relative wind. As used in this disclosure a “variable angle”is an angle that is moveable from an attachment point. In an embodiment,angle of attack be configured to produce a fixed pitch angle. As used inthis disclosure a “fixed pitch angle” is a fixed angle between a cordline of a blade and the rotational velocity direction. In an embodimentfixed angle of attack may be manually variable to a few set positions toadjust one or more lifts of the aircraft prior to flight. In anembodiment, blades for an aircraft are designed to be fixed to their hubat an angle similar to the thread on a screw makes an angle to theshaft; this angle may be referred to as a pitch or pitch angle whichwill determine a speed of forward movement as the blade rotates.

With continued reference to FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, lift component112 may be configured to produce a lift. As used in this disclosure a“lift” is a perpendicular force to the oncoming flow direction of fluidsurrounding the surface. For example, and without limitation relativeair speed may be horizontal to the aircraft, wherein lift force may be aforce exerted in a vertical direction, directing the aircraft upwards.In an embodiment, and without limitation, lift component 112 may producelift as a function of applying a torque to lift component. As used inthis disclosure a “torque” is a measure of force that causes an objectto rotate about an axis in a direction. For example, and withoutlimitation, torque may rotate an aileron and/or rudder to generate aforce that may adjust and/or affect altitude, airspeed velocity,groundspeed velocity, direction during flight, and/or thrust. Forexample, one or more flight components 108 such as a power source(s) mayapply a torque on lift component 112 to produce lift.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1 , a plurality of liftcomponents 112 of plurality of flight components 108 may be arranged ina quad copter orientation. As used in this disclosure a “quad copterorientation” is at least a lift component oriented in a geometric shapeand/or pattern, wherein each of the lift components is located along avertex of the geometric shape. For example, and without limitation, asquare quad copter orientation may have four lift propulsor componentsoriented in the geometric shape of a square, wherein each of the fourlift propulsor components are located along the four vertices of thesquare shape. As a further non-limiting example, a hexagonal quad copterorientation may have six lift components oriented in the geometric shapeof a hexagon, wherein each of the six lift components are located alongthe six vertices of the hexagon shape. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, quad copter orientation may include a first set of liftcomponents and a second set of lift components, wherein the first set oflift components and the second set of lift components may include twolift components each, wherein the first set of lift components and asecond set of lift components are distinct from one another. Forexample, and without limitation, the first set of lift components mayinclude two lift components that rotate in a clockwise direction,wherein the second set of lift propulsor components may include two liftcomponents that rotate in a counterclockwise direction. In anembodiment, and without limitation, the first set of lift components maybe oriented along a line oriented 45° from the longitudinal axis ofaircraft 100. In another embodiment, and without limitation, the secondset of lift components may be oriented along a line oriented 135° fromthe longitudinal axis, wherein the first set of lift components line andthe second set of lift components are perpendicular to each other.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , pusher component 116 and lift component 112(of flight component(s) 108) may include any such components and relateddevices as disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/427,298, filed on May 30, 2019, entitled “SELECTIVELY DEPLOYABLEHEATED PROPULSOR SYSTEM,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/703,225, filed on Dec. 4, 2019, entitled “AN INTEGRATED ELECTRICPROPULSION ASSEMBLY,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/910,255, filed on Jun. 24, 2020, entitled “AN INTEGRATED ELECTRICPROPULSION ASSEMBLY,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/319,155, filed on May 13, 2021, entitled “AIRCRAFT HAVING REVERSETHRUST CAPABILITIES,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/929,206, filed on Jul. 15, 2020, entitled “A HOVER AND THRUST CONTROLASSEMBLY FOR DUAL-MODE AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser.No. 17/001,845, filed on Aug. 25, 2020, entitled “A HOVER AND THRUSTCONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR DUAL-MODE AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 17/186,079, filed on Feb. 26, 2021, entitled“METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING PERCENTAGE TORQUE PRODUCED BY APROPULSOR CONFIGURED FOR USE IN AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,”, and U.S.Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/321,662, filed on May 17, 2021,entitled “AIRCRAFT FOR FIXED PITCH LIFT,”, the entirety of each one ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference. Any aircrafts, includingelectric and eVTOL aircrafts, as disclosed in any of these applicationsmay efficaciously be utilized with any of the embodiments as disclosedherein, as needed or desired. Any flight controllers as disclosed in anyof these applications may efficaciously be utilized with any of theembodiments as disclosed herein, as needed or desired.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , pusher component 116 may include apropulsor, a propeller, a blade, a motor, a rotor, a rotating element,an aileron, a rudder, arrangements thereof, combinations thereof, andthe like. Each pusher component 116, when a plurality is present, of theplurality of flight components 108 may be configured to produce, in anembodiment, substantially forward and/or horizontal thrust such that theaircraft moves forward.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , as used in this disclosure a “pushercomponent” is a component that pushes and/or thrusts an aircraft througha medium. As a non-limiting example, pusher component 116 may include apusher propeller, a paddle wheel, a pusher motor, a pusher propulsor,and the like. Additionally, or alternatively, pusher flight componentmay include a plurality of pusher flight components. Pusher component116 may be configured to produce a forward thrust. As a non-limitingexample, forward thrust may include a force to force aircraft in ahorizontal direction along the longitudinal axis. As a furthernon-limiting example, pusher component 116 may twist and/or rotate topull air behind it and, at the same time, push aircraft 100 forward withan equal amount of force. In an embodiment, and without limitation, themore air forced behind aircraft, the greater the thrust force with whichthe aircraft is pushed horizontally will be. In another embodiment, andwithout limitation, forward thrust may force aircraft 100 through themedium of relative air. Additionally or alternatively, plurality offlight components 108 may include one or more puller components. As usedin this disclosure a “puller component” is a component that pulls and/ortows an aircraft through a medium. As a non-limiting example, pullercomponent may include a flight component such as a puller propeller, apuller motor, a tractor propeller, a puller propulsor, and the like.Additionally, or alternatively, puller component may include a pluralityof puller flight components.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, aircraft 100 may include apilot control 120. As used in this disclosure, a “pilot control” is amechanism or means which allows a pilot to monitor and control operationof aircraft such as its flight components (for example, and withoutlimitation, pusher component, lift component and other components suchas propulsion components). For example, and without limitation, pilotcontrol 120 may include a collective, inceptor, foot bake, steeringand/or control wheel, control stick, pedals, throttle levers, and thelike. Pilot control 120 may be configured to translate a pilot's desiredtorque for each flight component of the plurality of flight components,such as and without limitation, pusher component 116 and lift component112. Pilot control 120 may be configured to control, via inputs and/orsignals such as from a pilot, the pitch, roll, and yaw of the aircraft.Pilot control may be available onboard aircraft or remotely located fromit, as needed or desired.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , as used in this disclosure a “collectivecontrol” or “collective” is a mechanical control of an aircraft thatallows a pilot to adjust and/or control the pitch angle of plurality offlight components 108. For example and without limitation, collectivecontrol may alter and/or adjust the pitch angle of all of the main rotorblades collectively. For example, and without limitation pilot control120 may include a yoke control. As used in this disclosure a “yokecontrol” is a mechanical control of an aircraft to control the pitchand/or roll. For example and without limitation, yoke control may alterand/or adjust the roll angle of aircraft 100 as a function ofcontrolling and/or maneuvering ailerons. In an embodiment, pilot control120 may include one or more foot-brakes, control sticks, pedals,throttle levels, and the like thereof. In another embodiment, andwithout limitation, pilot control 120 may be configured to control aprincipal axis of the aircraft. As used in this disclosure a “principalaxis” is an axis in a body representing one three dimensionalorientations. For example, and without limitation, principal axis ormore yaw, pitch, and/or roll axis. Principal axis may include a yawaxis. As used in this disclosure a “yaw axis” is an axis that isdirected towards the bottom of aircraft, perpendicular to the wings. Forexample, and without limitation, a positive yawing motion may includeadjusting and/or shifting nose of aircraft 100 to the right. Principalaxis may include a pitch axis. As used in this disclosure a “pitch axis”is an axis that is directed towards the right laterally extending wingof aircraft. For example, and without limitation, a positive pitchingmotion may include adjusting and/or shifting nose of aircraft 100upwards. Principal axis may include a roll axis. As used in thisdisclosure a “roll axis” is an axis that is directed longitudinallytowards nose of aircraft, parallel to fuselage. For example, and withoutlimitation, a positive rolling motion may include lifting the left andlowering the right wing concurrently. Pilot control 120 may beconfigured to modify a variable pitch angle. For example, and withoutlimitation, pilot control 120 may adjust one or more angles of attack ofa propulsor or propeller.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , aircraft 100 may include one or moresensor(s) (or aircraft sensor(s)) 128. Sensor(s) 128 may include anysensor or noise monitoring circuit described in this disclosure.Sensor(s) are also described further below with reference to at leastFIG. 2 . Sensor 128, in some embodiments, may be communicativelyconnected or coupled to flight controller 124. Sensor may be a device,module, and/or subsystem, utilizing any hardware, software, and/or anycombination thereof to sense a characteristic and/or changes thereof, inan instant environment, for instance without limitation a pilot control120, which the sensor is proximal to or otherwise in a sensedcommunication with, and transmit information associated with thecharacteristic, for instance without limitation digitized data. Sensor128 may be mechanically and/or communicatively coupled or connected toaircraft 100, including, for instance, to at least a pilot control 120.Sensor 128 may be configured to sense a characteristic associated withat least a pilot control 120. An environmental sensor may includewithout limitation one or more sensors used to detect ambienttemperature, barometric pressure, and/or air velocity. Sensor 128 mayinclude without limitation gyroscopes, accelerometers, inertialmeasurement unit (IMU), and/or magnetic sensors, one or more humiditysensors, one or more oxygen sensors, or the like. Additionally oralternatively, sensor 128 may include at least a geospatial sensor.Sensor 128 may be located inside aircraft, and/or be included in and/orattached to at least a portion of aircraft. Sensor may include one ormore proximity sensors, displacement sensors, vibration sensors, and thelike thereof. Sensor may be used to monitor the status of aircraft 100for both critical and non-critical functions. Sensor may be incorporatedinto vehicle or aircraft or be remote.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , non-limiting examples of sensor 128 mayinclude an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an accelerometer, agyroscope, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, apitot tube, an air speed sensor, a position sensor, a speed sensor, aswitch, a thermometer, a strain gauge, an acoustic sensor, and anelectrical sensor. In some cases, sensor 128 may sense a characteristicas an analog measurement, for instance, yielding a continuously variableelectrical potential indicative of the sensed characteristic. In thesecases, sensor 128 may additionally comprise an analog to digitalconverter (ADC) as well as any additionally circuitry, such as withoutlimitation a Wheatstone bridge, an amplifier, a filter, and the like.For instance, in some cases, sensor 128 may comprise a strain gageconfigured to determine loading of one or more aircraft components, forinstance landing gear. Strain gage may be included within a circuitcomprising a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified, and a bandpass filter toprovide an analog strain measurement signal having a high signal tonoise ratio, which characterizes strain on a landing gear member. An ADCmay then digitize analog signal produces a digital signal that can thenbe transmitted other systems within aircraft 100, for instance withoutlimitation a computing system, a pilot display, and a memory component.Alternatively or additionally, sensor 128 may sense a characteristic ofa pilot control 120 digitally. For instance in some embodiments, sensor128 may sense a characteristic through a digital means or digitize asensed signal natively. In some cases, for example, sensor 128 mayinclude a rotational encoder and be configured to sense a rotationalposition of a pilot control; in this case, the rotational encoderdigitally may sense rotational “clicks” by any known method, such aswithout limitation magnetically, optically, and the like. Sensor 128 mayinclude any of the sensors as disclosed in the present disclosure.Sensor 128 may include a plurality of sensors or a sensor suite. Any ofthese sensors may be located at any suitable position in or on aircraft100. As noted above, further embodiments of sensor(s) 128 are alsodescribed further below with reference to at least FIG. 2 .

Still referring to FIG. 1 , hybrid electric aircraft 100 may include atleast a controller or computing device such as flight controller 124.Flight controller 124 may include any computing device as described inthis disclosure, including without limitation a microcontroller,microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) and/or system on a chip(SoC) as described in this disclosure. Computing device may include, beincluded in, and/or communicate with a mobile device such as a mobiletelephone or smartphone. Computing device may include a single computingdevice operating independently, or may include two or more computingdevice operating in concert, in parallel, sequentially or the like; twoor more computing devices may be included together in a single computingdevice or in two or more computing devices. Computing device mayinterface or communicate with one or more additional devices asdescribed below in further detail via a network interface device.Network interface device may be utilized for connecting computing deviceto one or more of a variety of networks, and one or more devices.Examples of a network interface device include, but are not limited to,a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interface card, a LANcard), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of a networkinclude, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., theInternet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a networkassociated with an office, a building, a campus or other relativelysmall geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associatedwith a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications providerdata and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computingdevices, and any combinations thereof. A network may employ a wiredand/or a wireless mode of communication. In general, any networktopology may be used. Information (e.g., data, software etc.) may becommunicated to and/or from a computer and/or a computing device.Computing device may include but is not limited to, for example, acomputing device or cluster of computing devices in a first location anda second computing device or cluster of computing devices in a secondlocation. Computing device may include one or more computing devicesdedicated to data storage, security, distribution of traffic for loadbalancing, and the like. Computing device may distribute one or morecomputing tasks as described below across a plurality of computingdevices of computing device, which may operate in parallel, in series,redundantly, or in any other manner used for distribution of tasks ormemory between computing devices. Computing device may be implementedusing a “shared nothing” architecture in which data is cached at theworker, in an embodiment, this may enable scalability of system and/orcomputing device.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1 , controller (or computing device) such asflight controller 124 may be designed and/or configured to perform anymethod, method step, or sequence of method steps in any embodimentdescribed in this disclosure, in any order and with any degree ofrepetition. For instance, controller (or computing device) may beconfigured to perform a single step or sequence repeatedly until adesired or commanded outcome is achieved; repetition of a step or asequence of steps may be performed iteratively and/or recursively usingoutputs of previous repetitions as inputs to subsequent repetitions,aggregating inputs and/or outputs of repetitions to produce an aggregateresult, reduction or decrement of one or more variables such as globalvariables, and/or division of a larger processing task into a set ofiteratively addressed smaller processing tasks. Computing device mayperform any step or sequence of steps as described in this disclosure inparallel, such as simultaneously and/or substantially simultaneouslyperforming a step two or more times using two or more parallel threads,processor cores, or the like; division of tasks between parallel threadsand/or processes may be performed according to any protocol suitable fordivision of tasks between iterations. Persons skilled in the art, uponreviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various waysin which steps, sequences of steps, processing tasks, and/or data may besubdivided, shared, or otherwise dealt with using iteration, recursion,and/or parallel processing.

With continued reference to FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, hybridelectric aircraft 100 may include, or may be coupled to orcommunicatively connected to, flight controller 124 which is describedfurther with reference to at least FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 . As used in thisdisclosure a “flight controller” is a computing device of a plurality ofcomputing devices dedicated to data storage, security, distribution oftraffic for load balancing, and flight instruction. In embodiments,flight controller may be installed in an aircraft, may control theaircraft remotely, and/or may include an element installed in theaircraft and a remote element in communication therewith. Flightcontroller 124, in an embodiment, is located within fuselage 104 ofaircraft. In accordance with some embodiments, flight controller may beconfigured to select a flight mode of aircraft such as to operate avertical lift flight (upwards or downwards, takeoff, landing, climb ordescent), a fixed wing flight (forward or backwards), a transitionbetween a vertical lift flight and a fixed wing flight, and acombination of a vertical lift flight and a fixed wing flight. In otherembodiments, flight mode may be selected by a pilot, user or the like.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, and without limitation,flight controller 124 may be configured to operate a fixed-wing flightcapability. A “fixed-wing flight capability” can be a method of flight(or flight mode) wherein the plurality of laterally extending elementsor wings generate lift. For example, and without limitation, fixed-wingflight capability may generate lift as a function of an airspeed ofaircraft 100 and one or more airfoil shapes of the laterally extendingelements. As a further non-limiting example, flight controller 124 mayoperate the fixed-wing flight capability as a function of reducingapplied torque on lift (propulsor) component 112. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, an amount of lift generation may be related to anamount of forward thrust generated to increase airspeed velocity,wherein the amount of lift generation may be directly proportional tothe amount of forward thrust produced. Additionally or alternatively,flight controller may include an inertia compensator. As used in thisdisclosure an “inertia compensator” is one or more computing devices,electrical components, logic circuits, processors, and the like there ofthat are configured to compensate for inertia in one or more lift(propulsor) components present in aircraft 100. Inertia compensator mayalternatively or additionally include any computing device used as aninertia compensator as described in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser.No. 17/106,557, filed on Nov. 30, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHODFOR FLIGHT CONTROL IN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. Flight controller 124 mayefficaciously include any flight controllers as disclosed in U.S.Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/106,557, filed on Nov. 30, 2020,and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLIGHT CONTROL IN ELECTRICAIRCRAFT.”

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1 , flight controller 124may be configured to perform a reverse thrust command. As used in thisdisclosure a “reverse thrust command” is a command to perform a thrustthat forces a medium towards the relative air opposing aircraft 100.Reverse thrust command may alternatively or additionally include anyreverse thrust command as described in U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 17/319,155, filed on May 13, 2021, and entitled “AIRCRAFTHAVING REVERSE THRUST CAPABILITIES,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. In another embodiment, flightcontroller may be configured to perform a regenerative drag operation.As used in this disclosure a “regenerative drag operation” is anoperating condition of an aircraft, wherein the aircraft has a negativethrust and/or is reducing in airspeed velocity. For example, and withoutlimitation, regenerative drag operation may include a positive propellerspeed and a negative propeller thrust. Regenerative drag operation mayalternatively or additionally include any regenerative drag operation asdescribed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/319,155. Flightcontroller 124 may efficaciously include any flight controllers asdisclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/319,155, filedon May 13, 2021, and entitled “AIRCRAFT HAVING REVERSE THRUSTCAPABILITIES,”.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, flight controller 124may be configured to perform a corrective action as a function of afailure event. As used in this disclosure a “corrective action” is anaction conducted by the plurality of flight components to correct and/oralter a movement of an aircraft. For example, and without limitation, acorrective action may include an action to reduce a yaw torque generatedby a failure event. Additionally or alternatively, corrective action mayinclude any corrective action as described in U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 17/222,539, filed on Apr. 5, 2021, and entitled“AIRCRAFT FOR SELF-NEUTRALIZING FLIGHT,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. As used in this disclosure a “failureevent” is a failure of a flight component of the plurality of flightcomponents. For example, and without limitation, a failure event maydenote a rotation degradation of a rotor, a reduced torque of a rotor,and the like thereof. Additionally or alternatively, failure event mayinclude any failure event as described in U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 17/113,647, filed on Dec. 7, 2020, and entitled“IN-FLIGHT STABILIZATION OF AN AIRCRAFT,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. Flight controller 124 mayefficaciously include any flight controllers as disclosed in U.S.Nonprovisional application. Ser. Nos. 17/222,539 and 17/113,647.

With continued reference to FIG. 1 , flight controller 124 may includeone or more computing devices. Computing device may include anycomputing device as described in this disclosure. Flight controller 124may be onboard aircraft 100 and/or flight controller 124 may be remotefrom aircraft 100, as long as, in some embodiments, flight controller124 is communicatively connected to aircraft 100. As used in thisdisclosure, “remote” is a spatial separation between two or moreelements, systems, components or devices. Stated differently, twoelements may be remote from one another if they are physically spacedapart. In an embodiment, flight controller 124 may include aproportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, hybrid electricaircraft 100 may include one or more booms, a plurality of booms or apair of booms 136. Booms 136 may extend generally parallel to fuselage104 on either side of fuselage 104. A respective one of booms 136 may beconnected to a respective one of wings 132. Booms 136 may extendgenerally perpendicularly to wings 132 or they may have a differentangular orientation with respect to wings, as needed or desired. Booms136 may be configured to contain or be attachable to ancillary itemssuch as fuel tanks, fuel pods, cargo, payload, and the like, amongothers. Booms 13 may provide a supporting and/or loading structure forancillary items and/or aircraft. Booms 136 may be fabricated fromsubstantially the same material as fuselage 104 and/or wings 132, asneeded or desired. Booms 136 may include one or more internal orexternal latching mechanisms to facilitate attachment to ancillaryitems.

Still referring to FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, hybrid electricaircraft 100 may include a power system 140. As also discussed furtherwith reference to at least FIG. 2 , power system 140 may be configuredto generate electrical energy to power various flight components ofaircraft. Power system 140 may include a hybrid electric power systemgenerating electrical power from at least two energy sources such as abattery system and a fuel system. Embodiments of various power systemconfigurations are discussed further with reference to at least FIG. 2 .

Referring now to FIG. 2 , an exemplary embodiment of a hybrid electricaircraft 200 is illustrated. Hybrid electric aircraft 200 can be thesame, substantially the same or similar to the hybrid electric aircraft100 of FIG. 1 or any of the other such aircrafts disclosed in theentirety of the present disclosure. For purposes of readability, thesame reference numerals as FIG. 1 may be used to refer to like elementsin FIG. 2 .

Still referring to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure, “communicativelyconnected” means connected by way of a connection, attachment or linkagebetween two or more relata which allows for reception and/ortransmittance of information therebetween. For example, and withoutlimitation, this connection may be wired or wireless, direct orindirect, and between two or more components, circuits, devices,systems, and the like, which allows for reception and/or transmittanceof data and/or signal(s) therebetween. Data and/or signals therebetweenmay include, without limitation, electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic,video, audio, radio and microwave data and/or signals, combinationsthereof, and the like, among others. A communicative connection may beachieved, for example and without limitation, through wired or wirelesselectronic, digital or analog, communication, either directly or by wayof one or more intervening devices or components. Further, communicativeconnection may include electrically coupling or connecting at least anoutput of one device, component, or circuit to at least an input ofanother device, component, or circuit. For example, and withoutlimitation, via a bus or other facility for intercommunication betweenelements of a computing device. Communicative connecting may alsoinclude indirect connections via, for example and without limitation,wireless connection, radio communication, low power wide area network,optical communication, magnetic, capacitive, or optical coupling, andthe like. In some instances, the terminology “communicatively coupled”may be used in place of communicatively connected in this disclosure.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, a hybrid electricaircraft 200 may be provided. In some embodiments, hybrid electricaircraft 200 may include a fuselage (e.g. fuselage 104 of FIG. 1 ), apair of wings (e.g. wings 132 of FIG. 1 ), a pair of booms (e.g. booms136 of FIG. 1 ), a plurality of flight components 108 and a power system140. Pair of wings may be connected to fuselage and extends generallylaterally therefrom with each wing on either side of fuselage. Each boomof pair of booms may be connected (or attached) to a respective one ofthe wings with each boom extending generally longitudinally and parallelto fuselage. Plurality of flight components 108 may be configured toprovide thrust to hybrid electric aircraft 200. Power system 140 mayinclude a battery system 224 and a fuel system 204. Power system 140 maybe configured to power plurality of flight components 108. Fuel system204 may include a pair of fuel pods 208 with each fuel pod containing afuel tank 212 and a generator 216. Each fuel pod 208 may be mounted to arespective one of booms (e.g. booms 136 of FIG. 1 ).

Still referring to FIG. 2 , fuel system 204 may further include aturbine 236 and/or an engine 240. Turbine 236 and/or engine 240 may beintegrated into generator 216 or be separate from generator 216. Batterysystem 224 may include one or more battery packs 228. Each battery pack232 may include one or more batteries 232. Hybrid electric aircraft 200may further include or be communicatively connected to one or moresensors 128. Sensors 128 may include any of the sensors as disclosed inthe present disclosure. Hybrid electric aircraft 200 may further includeor be communicatively connected to flight controller 124. Flightcontroller 124 may include any of the flight controllers as disclosed inthe present disclosure and described with reference to at least FIG. 1and FIG. 6 . Sensor(s) 128 may be communicatively connected to flightcontroller 124. Flight component(s) 108 may include one or more liftcomponents 112, pusher components 116, electric motors 220, among othercomponents. Power system 140 may be configured to provide electricalenergy and/or electrical flow (e.g. current) to plurality of flightcomponents 108 such as electric motor 220 which in turn may power one ormore lift components 112 and/or pusher components 116 to propel aircraft200.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 2 , fuel system 204 may be furtherconfigured to charge or recharge at least a battery 232 of batterysystem 224. As used in this disclosure, “charging” or “recharging”refers to a process of increasing energy stored within an energy source.In some cases, an energy source may include at least a battery andcharging may include providing an electrical flow or current to at leasta battery. As used in this disclosure, an “electrical flow” or “current”is a flow of charged particles (e.g. electrons) or an electric currentflowing within a material or structure which is capable of conductingit. Current may be measured in amperes or the like. As used in thisdisclosure, a “battery pack” is a set of any number of identical (ornon-identical) batteries or individual battery cells. These may beconfigured in a series, parallel or a mixture of both configuration todeliver a desired electrical flow, current, voltage, capacity, or powerdensity, as needed or desired. A battery may include, withoutlimitation, one or more cells, in which chemical energy is convertedinto electricity (or electrical energy) and used as a source of energyor power. Power system 140, fuel system 204, battery system 224 and/oraircraft 200 may efficaciously include one or more components such asopen-close contactors to provide an electrical connection betweensystems and aircraft components.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , each fuel pod 208 may be mounted,attached or mechanically connected to an outer lower surface of arespective one of pair of booms (e.g. booms 136 of FIG. 1 ). Each fuelpod 208 may be mounted, attached or mechanically connected to aconnection mechanism or latching mechanism on an outer surface of arespective one of booms (e.g. booms 136 of FIG. 1 ). Certain embodimentsof a connection mechanism and/or latching mechanism are describedfurther below in connection with at least FIG. 3 . In modifiedembodiments, fuel pods 208 may be mounted, attached or mechanicallyconnected to other structures of aircraft such as, without limitation,fuselage, wings, and the like, among others. Each fuel tank 212 maycontain a hydrocarbon fuel or a petroleum-based fuel which may be in aliquid or gaseous form and which may be compressed or pressurized. Asused in this disclosure, a “pod” is a container or housing. Pod may be adetachable and/or self-contained unit. As used in this disclosure, a“fuel” is a material that is burned or undergoes combustion to producepower. Fuel may include, without limitation, a hydrocarbon fuel, apetroleum-based fuel, a gaseous fuel, a liquid fuel, a solid fuel,natural gas, oil, coal, gasoline, diesel, ethanol, hydrogen, or thelike, among others. A “fuel pod”, as used in this disclosure, is a podwith at least a fuel therein or a pod designed to hold at least a fueltherein. For the purposes of this disclosure, a “fuel tank” is acontainer designed to hold fuel or a container with fuel therein.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , generator 216 may be configured to convertmechanical energy to electrical energy. Generator 216 may include aturbine generator. Generator 216 may include an engine such as aninternal combustion engine (ICE). Generator 216 may include a gasturbine or a diesel turbine. In an embodiment, generator 216 may beconnected to at least one electric motor 220 of plurality of flightcomponents 108 to provide electrical flow thereto. Plurality of flightcomponents 108 may include at least one lift component 112. plurality offlight components 108 may include at least one pusher component 116.Plurality of flight components 108 may include at least a propulsor, ablade and/or a blade arrangement.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure, a “generator” isa device that converts mechanical energy and/or chemical energy toelectrical energy. For example, a generator may convert motive power(mechanical energy or kinetic energy) and/or chemical energy (e.g. infuel cell, or the like) into electrical power for use in an externalcircuit such as an electric motor. Sources of mechanical energy mayinclude, without limitation, steam turbines, gas turbines, waterturbines, internal combustion engines, heat engines, wind turbines, andthe like, among others. Generator may also include a diesel generator orbe driven by a diesel engine. As used in this disclosure, a “turbine” isa rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow andconverts it into useful work. The work produced by a turbine can be usedfor generating electrical power when combined with a generator. As usedin this disclosure, a “turbine generator” is an electric generatordriven by a steam, gas or hydraulic turbine. As used in this disclosure,an “engine” is a machine that converts one or more forms of energy intomechanical energy. For example, and without limitation, an engine mayconvert energy from a source of heat, such as the burning or combustionof a fuel, into mechanical energy, force or motion. As used in thisdisclosure, an “internal combustion engine” or “ICE” is an engine inwhich the burning of a fuel occurs in a confined space called acombustion chamber.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , power system 140 may be further configuredto allow selection between battery system 224 and fuel system 204 forpowering plurality of flight components 108. Hybrid electric VTOLaircraft may further include flight controller 124 which may beconfigured to select at least one of battery system 224 and fuel system204 for powering at least one of plurality of flight components 108.Selection of at least one of battery system 224 and fuel system 204 byflight controller 124 may be based on a machine-learning model. Trainingof machine-learning model may be based on battery system state of charge(SOC) data and flight mode (e.g. takeoff, landing, climb, descent,transitions therebetween) data to output an optimum profile forutilizing battery system 224 and/or fuel system 204 for poweringaircraft and/or recharging batteries. Machine-learning model may bebased on any of the machine-learning features as disclosed in thepresent disclosure and described below with reference to at least FIG. 7.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , fuel system 204 and battery system 224 mayoperate in series to drive and power plurality of flight components 108.In a modified embodiment, these systems may operate in a parallelconfiguration or even a series-parallel configuration. Thus, embodimentsdisclosed herein encompass tandem and/or independent operation of fuelsystem 204 and battery system 224 of hybrid power systems disclosedherein.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 2 , battery system 224 may include at leasta battery pack 228. Battery system 224 (and/or battery pack(s) 228) maybe mounted in fuselage of aircraft. Battery system 224 (and/or batterypack(s) 228) may be mounted in a bay at a lower portion of fuselage. Inmodified embodiment, battery system may be mounted at other aircraftstructures such as, and without limitation, wings, booms, and the like,among others. Moreover, portions of battery system 224 may be mounted atdifferent locations withing aircraft. As used in this disclosure, a“bay” is a partly enclosed area, inside or outside, a structure. Forexample, and without limitation, a bay may be an area inside anaircraft's fuselage for placement of a fuel pod and/or a battery pack.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, hybridelectric aircraft 200 may be configured for flight without fuel system204 (or a portion thereof). Advantageously, such an adaptable aircraftmay provide enhanced versatility based on, for example, travel distanceto a particular destination. Such aircraft and/or fuel system featuresas also discussed further below with reference to at least FIG. 3 .

Still referring to FIG. 2 , hybrid electric aircraft 200 may furtherinclude at least a sensor 128. Sensor 128 may be communicativelyconnected to flight controller 124. Sensor 128 may include a batterysensor such as a sensor configured to detect a state of charge (SOC) ofbattery system 224, battery pack 228 and/or battery 232. Sensor 128 mayinclude a sensor configured to detect a flight mode (e.g. takeoff,landing, climb, ascent, descent, transitions therebetween, and the like)of hybrid electric VTOL aircraft 200. Hybridization performance of powersystem 140 may be optimized by use of sensor(s) 128.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure, an“energy source” is a source (or supplier) of energy (or power) to powerone or more components. Energy source may include fuel system 204 andpower system 140 and any of their elements such as, and withoutlimitation, battery pack(s), battery(ies), fuel pod(s), fuel tank(s),generator(s), turbine(s), engine(s), and the like. As used in thisdisclosure, a “battery pack” is a set of any number of identical (ornon-identical) batteries or individual battery cells. These may beconfigured in a series, parallel or a mixture of both configuration todeliver a desired electrical flow, current, voltage, capacity, or powerdensity, as needed or desired. A battery may include, withoutlimitation, one or more cells, in which chemical energy is convertedinto electricity (or electrical energy) and used as a source of energyor power. For example, and without limitation, energy source may beconfigured provide energy to an aircraft power source that in turn thatdrives and/or controls any other aircraft component such as other flightcomponents. An energy source may include, for example, an electricalenergy source, a generator, a photovoltaic device, a fuel cell such as ahydrogen fuel cell, direct methanol fuel cell, and/or solid oxide fuelcell, an electric energy storage device (e.g., a capacitor, an inductor,and/or a battery). An electrical energy source may also include abattery cell, a battery pack, or a plurality of battery cells connectedin series into a module and each module connected in series or inparallel with other modules. Configuration of an energy sourcecontaining connected modules may be designed to meet an energy or powerrequirement and may be designed to fit within a designated footprint inan aircraft.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 2 , an energy source maybe used to provide a steady supply of electrical flow or power to a loadover the course of a flight by a vehicle or other aircraft. For example,an energy source may be capable of providing sufficient power for“cruising” and other relatively low-energy phases of flight. An energysource may also be capable of providing electrical power for somehigher-power phases of flight as well, particularly when the energysource is at a high state of charge (SOC), as may be the case forinstance during takeoff. In an embodiment, an energy source may becapable of providing sufficient electrical power for auxiliary loadsincluding without limitation, lighting, navigation, communications,de-icing, steering or other systems requiring power or energy. Further,an energy source may be capable of providing sufficient power forcontrolled descent and landing protocols, including, without limitation,hovering descent or runway landing. As used herein an energy source mayhave high power density where electrical power an energy source canusefully produce per unit of volume and/or mass is relatively high.“Electrical power,” as used in this disclosure, is defined as a rate ofelectrical energy per unit time. An energy source may include a devicefor which power that may be produced per unit of volume and/or mass hasbeen optimized, at the expense of the maximal total specific energydensity or power capacity, during design. Non-limiting examples of itemsthat may be used as at least an energy source may include batteries usedfor starting applications including Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries whichmay include NCA, NMC, Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and LithiumManganese Oxide (LMO) batteries, which may be mixed with another cathodechemistry to provide more specific power if the application requires Limetal batteries, which have a lithium metal anode that provides highpower on demand, Li ion batteries that have a silicon or titanite anode,energy source may be used, in an embodiment, to provide electrical powerto an aircraft or drone, such as an hybrid electric aircraft, duringmoments requiring high rates of power output, including withoutlimitation takeoff, landing, thermal de-icing and situations requiringgreater power output for reasons of stability, such as high turbulencesituations. A battery may include, without limitation a battery usingnickel based chemistries such as nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride,a battery using lithium ion battery chemistries such as a nickel cobaltaluminum (NCA), nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), lithium iron phosphate(LiFePO4), lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), and/or lithium manganese oxide(LMO), a battery using lithium polymer technology, lead-based batteriessuch as without limitation lead acid batteries, metal-air batteries, orany other suitable battery. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewingthe entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various devices orcomponents that may be used as an energy source.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , an energy source may include a plurality ofenergy sources, referred to herein as a module of energy sources. Amodule may include batteries (and/or generators) connected in parallelor in series or a plurality of modules connected either in series or inparallel designed to deliver both the power and energy requirements ofthe application. Connecting batteries (and/or generators) in series mayincrease the voltage of at least an energy source which may provide morepower on demand. High voltage batteries may require cell matching whenhigh peak load is needed. As more cells are connected in strings, theremay exist the possibility of one cell failing which may increaseresistance in the module and reduce an overall power output as a voltageof the module may decrease as a result of that failing cell. Connectingbatteries (and/or generators) in parallel may increase total currentcapacity by decreasing total resistance, and it also may increaseoverall amp-hour capacity. Overall energy and power outputs of at leastan energy source may be based on individual battery cell performance oran extrapolation based on measurement of at least an electricalparameter. In an embodiment where an energy source includes a pluralityof battery cells, overall power output capacity may be dependent onelectrical parameters of each individual cell. If one cell experienceshigh self-discharge during demand, power drawn from at least an energysource may be decreased to avoid damage to the weakest cell. An energysource may further include, without limitation, wiring, conduit,housing, cooling system, battery management system and fuel managementsystem. Persons skilled in the art will be aware, after reviewing theentirety of this disclosure, of many different components of an energysource.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 2 , energy sources, battery packs,batteries, sensors, battery sensors, sensor suites and/or associatedmethods which may efficaciously be utilized in accordance with someembodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/111,002, filed on Dec. 3, 2020, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ABATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INTEGRATED IN A BATTERY PACK CONFIGURED FORUSE IN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/108,798, filed on Dec. 1, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORA BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INTEGRATED IN A BATTERY PACK CONFIGURED FORUSE IN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,”, and U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/320,329, filed on May 14, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORMONITORING HEALTH OF AN ELECTRIC VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDINGVEHICLE,”, the entirety of each one of which is incorporated herein byreference.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , other energy sources, batterypacks, batteries, sensors, battery sensors, sensor suites and/orassociated methods which may efficaciously be utilized in accordancewith some embodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 16/590,496, filed on Oct. 2, 2019, and entitled “SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR RESTRICTING POWER TO A LOAD TO PREVENT ENGAGING CIRCUITPROTECTION DEVICE FOR AN AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 17/348,137, filed on Jun. 15, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR RESTRICTING POWER TO A LOAD TO PREVENT ENGAGING CIRCUITPROTECTION DEVICE FOR AN AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 17/008,721, filed on Sep. 1, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD FOR SECURING BATTERY IN AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 16/948,157, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, and entitled“SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH ENERGY DENSITY BATTERY MODULE,”, U.S.Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/948,140, filed on Sep. 4, 2020,and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH ENERGY DENSITY BATTERYMODULE,”, and U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/948,141, filedon Sep. 4, 2020, and entitled “COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A BATTERYMODULE ASSEMBLY,”, the entirety of each one of which is incorporatedherein by reference. Still other energy sources, battery packs,batteries, sensors, sensor suites, charging connectors and/or associatedmethods which may efficaciously be utilized in accordance with someembodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/405,840, filed on Aug. 18, 2021, entitled “CONNECTOR AND METHODS OFUSE FOR CHARGING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE,”.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , certain battery, battery module and batterypack management systems, devices, components and associated methodsincluding or using a pack monitoring unit (PMU) and a module monitorunit (MMU) which may efficaciously be utilized in accordance with someembodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/529,653, filed on Nov. 18, 2021, and entitled “AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFTBATTERY PACK AND METHODS OF USE,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser.No. 17/529,447, filed on Nov. 18, 2021, and entitled “MODULE MONITORUNIT FOR AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT BATTERY PACK AND METHODS OF USE,”, andU.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/529,583, filed on Nov. 18,2021, and entitled “PACK MONITORING UNIT FOR AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFTBATTERY PACK AND METHODS OF USE FOR BATTERY MANAGEMENT,”, the entiretyof each one of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure a “power source”is a source that powers, drives and/or controls any flight componentand/or other aircraft component. For example, and without limitationpower source may include motor(s) or electric motor(s) 220 that operatesto move one or more lift components 112 and/or one or more pushercomponents 116, to drive one or more blades, or the like thereof.Motor(s) 220 may be driven by direct current (DC) electric power and mayinclude, without limitation, brushless DC electric motors, switchedreluctance motors, induction motors, or any combination thereof.Motor(s) 220 may also include electronic speed controllers or othercomponents for regulating motor speed, rotation direction, and/ordynamic braking. A “motor” as used in this disclosure is any machinethat converts non-mechanical energy into mechanical energy. An “electricmotor” as used in this disclosure is any machine that convertselectrical energy into mechanical energy.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, aircraft 200 may furtherinclude one or more sensors 128. Sensor(s) 128 may be configured totransmit, directly or indirectly, flight data and system data to flightcontroller 124 and/or other computing device. Sensor(s) 128 may becommunicatively connected to flight controller 124 and/or anothercomputing device. In an embodiment sensor 128 may include a batterysensor. In an embodiment, sensor(s) 128 may be included in or be a partof flight controller 124. Sensor(s) 128 may include any of the sensorsas disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, sensor 128 maybe mechanically connected to aircraft 200. As used herein, a person ofordinary skill in the art would understand “mechanically connected” tomean that at least a portion of a device, component, or circuit isconnected to at least a portion of the aircraft via a mechanicalconnection. Said mechanical connection may be established, for exampleand without limitation, by mechanical fasteners such as bolts, rivets,screws, nails, bolt-nut combinations, pegs, dowels, pins, rods, locks,latches, clamps, combinations thereof, and the like, among others. Saidmechanical connection may include, for example and without limitation,rigid coupling, such as beam coupling, bellows coupling, bushed pincoupling, constant velocity, split-muff coupling, diaphragm coupling,disc coupling, donut coupling, elastic coupling, flexible coupling,fluid coupling, gear coupling, grid coupling, hirth joints, hydrodynamiccoupling, jaw coupling, magnetic coupling, Oldham coupling, sleevecoupling, tapered shaft lock, twin spring coupling, rag joint coupling,adhesive coupling, universal joints, or any combination thereof. In anembodiment, mechanical connection may be used to connect the ends ofadjacent parts and/or objects of an electric aircraft. Further, in anembodiment, mechanical connection may be used to join two pieces ofrotating aircraft components. In some instances, the terminology“mechanically coupled” may be used in place of mechanically connected inthis disclosure.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , sensor(s) 128 may include any of the sensorsas disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure including thosedescribed with reference to at least FIG. 1 . As used in thisdisclosure, a “sensor” is a device that is configured to detect aphenomenon and transmit information related to the detection of thephenomenon. For example, in some cases a sensor may transduce a detectedphenomenon, such as without limitation, voltage, current, resistance,capacitance, impedance, distance, speed, velocity, angular velocity,rotational velocity, acceleration, direction, force, torque,temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, density, and the like,into a sensed signal. Sensor may include one or more sensors which maybe the same, similar or different. Sensor may include a plurality ofsensors which may be the same, similar or different. Sensor may includeone or more sensor suites with sensors in each sensor suite being thesame, similar or different.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , sensor 128 may include any sensor or noisemonitoring circuit described in this disclosure. Sensor 128, in someembodiments, may be communicatively connected or coupled to flightcontroller 124. Sensor may be a device, module, and/or subsystem,utilizing any hardware, software, and/or any combination thereof tosense a characteristic and/or changes thereof, in an instantenvironment, for example and without limitation, which the sensor may beproximal to or otherwise in a sensed communication with, and transmitinformation associated with the characteristic, for instance withoutlimitation digitized data. Sensor 128 may be mechanically and/orcommunicatively coupled to aircraft 200. Sensor 128 may be configured tosense a characteristic associated with, for example and withoutlimitation, a battery, a flight component and/or a pilot control ofaircraft. An environmental sensor may include without limitation one ormore sensors used to detect ambient temperature, barometric pressure,and/or air velocity. Sensor 128 may include without limitationgyroscopes, accelerometers, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and/ormagnetic sensors, one or more humidity sensors, one or more oxygensensors, or the like. Additionally or alternatively, sensor 128 mayinclude at least a geospatial sensor. Sensor 128 may be located insideaircraft, and/or be included in and/or attached to at least a portion ofaircraft. Sensor may include one or more proximity sensors, displacementsensors, vibration sensors, and the like thereof. Sensor may be used tomonitor the status of aircraft 200 for both critical and non-criticalfunctions. Sensor may be incorporated into vehicle or aircraft or, insome cases, be remote.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 2 , non-limiting examples of sensor 128 mayinclude an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an accelerometer, agyroscope, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, apitot tube, an air speed sensor, a wind sensor, a position sensor, aspeed sensor, a switch, a thermometer, a strain gauge, an acousticsensor, an electrical sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, acapacitance sensor, a resistance sensor, an impedance sensor, a thermalsensor, a humidity sensor, an angle sensor, a velocity sensor, anacceleration sensor, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, anelectromagnetic sensor, and the like, among others. In some cases,sensor 128 may sense a characteristic as an analog measurement, forinstance, yielding a continuously variable electrical potentialindicative of the sensed characteristic. In these cases, sensor 128 mayadditionally comprise an analog to digital converter (ADC) as well asany additionally circuitry, such as without limitation a Wheatstonebridge, an amplifier, a filter, and the like. For instance, in somecases, sensor 128 may comprise a strain gage configured to determineloading of one or more aircraft components, for example and withoutlimitation, landing gear. Strain gage may be included within a circuitcomprising a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified, and a bandpass filter toprovide an analog strain measurement signal having a high signal tonoise ratio, which characterizes strain on a landing gear member. An ADCmay then digitize analog signal produces a digital signal that can thenbe transmitted other systems within aircraft 200, for instance withoutlimitation a computing system, a pilot display, and a memory component.Alternatively or additionally, sensor 128 may sense a characteristic ofa pilot control digitally. For instance in some embodiments, sensor 128may sense a characteristic through a digital means or digitize a sensedsignal natively. In some cases, for example, sensor 128 may include arotational encoder and be configured to sense a rotational position of apilot control or the like; in this case, the rotational encoderdigitally may sense rotational “clicks” by any known method, such aswithout limitation magnetically, optically, and the like. Sensor 228 mayinclude any of the sensors as disclosed in the present disclosure.Sensor 128 may include a plurality of sensors. Any of these sensors maybe located at any suitable position in or on aircraft 200.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , sensor 128 may include any deviceconfigured to measure and/or detect information related to electricaircraft 200. In a non-limiting embodiment, first sensor may includeairspeed sensors, GPS sensors, altimeters, pitot tubes, pitot-statictubes, sensors and/or systems, external air density sensors (e.g. tofacilitate in the calculation of stall speed and/or wind speed),pressure sensors, toque sensors, angle sensors (e.g., angle of attack,flight path angle), wind speed sensors, and the like, among others.

Referring now to FIG. 3 , an exemplary embodiment of a fuel pod 300 fora hybrid electric aircraft is illustrated. Fuel pod may also be referredto as an auxiliary power pod or an auxiliary power unit (APU) herein.Hybrid electric aircraft can be the same, substantially the same orsimilar to any of the aircrafts as disclosed in the entirety of thepresent disclosure. For purposes of readability, some of the samereference numerals as used in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 may be used to refer tolike elements in FIG. 3 .

Still referring to FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, fuel pod 300 includes ahousing 304, a fuel tank 308, a generator 312 and a connection mechanism316. Fuel tank 308 is contained within housing 304. Fuel tank 308 isconfigured to hold a fuel therein. In some cases, fuel my already becontained in fuel tank 308. Generator 312 is contained within housing304 and is connected to fuel tank 304. This connection can enable fueltank 308 to provide fuel to generator 312 and/or an associated engine orturbine, for example, for combustion or burning of the fuel. Generator312 (and/or fuel pod 300) is configured to power at least one of aplurality of flight components of hybrid electric aircraft. Hybridelectric aircraft may include any of the hybrid electric aircrafts asdisclosed herein such as those described above with reference to atleast FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 (e.g. aircraft 100 and 200). Flight componentsmay include any of the flight components as disclosed herein such asthose described above with reference to at least FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 (e.g.flight components 108).

Still referring to FIG. 3 , connection mechanism 316 is at housing 304.Housing 304 may include connection mechanism 316 so that it is a part ofhousing or connection mechanism may be a separate element or combinationof elements. Connection mechanism 316 is configured to removably ordetachably attach or connect fuel pod 300 to hybrid electric aircraft.Connection mechanism 316 includes an electrical interface (or link) 320configured to electrically link to at least one of plurality of flightcomponents of hybrid electric aircraft. Connection mechanism 316includes a communication interface (or link) 324 configured tocommunicatively link to a flight controller communicatively connected tohybrid electric aircraft. Flight controller may include any of theflight controllers as disclosed herein including those described withreference to at least FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 (e.g. flight controller 124) andFIG. 6 . For the purposes of this disclosure, “removably attached” meansattached to an object such that it may be removed without damaging theobject.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 3 , and as also noted above, a “fuel pod” asused in this disclosure, is a pod with at least a fuel therein or a poddesigned to hold at least a fuel therein. Fuel pod 300 may also bereferred to as a ‘drop tank’, auxiliary power pod, or an auxiliary powerunit (APU). In accordance with some embodiments, fuel pod 300advantageously can be a self-contained unit which is selectively usedwith aircraft 200 as and when needed or desired. For example, fuel pod300 may be utilized with aircraft 200 a achieve greater flight range,carry heavier payloads, carry extra passenger, and the like. Fuel pod300 may not be used when aircraft 200 may carry out its flight planwithout it. Fuel pod 300 may be replaced with extra payload, as neededor desired, which may be mounted to aircraft instead of fuel pod. Fuelpod 300 may be removably attached to any suitable surface of aircraft200. In an embodiment, fuel pod 300 may be removably attached to a lowersurface of a boom of aircraft 200. Two fuel pods 300 may be removablymounted on each of two booms of aircraft 200. Fuel pod 300 may beremovably attached to fuselage of aircraft 200. Fuel pod 300, if needed,may be removably mounted internal to aircraft 300.

With continued reference to FIG. 3 , as also noted above, for thepurposes of this disclosure, a “fuel tank” is a container designed tohold fuel or a container with fuel therein. Each fuel tank 308 maycontain a hydrocarbon fuel or a petroleum-based fuel which may be in aliquid or gaseous form and which may be compressed or pressurized. Asused in this disclosure, a “pod” is a container or housing. Pod may be adetachable and/or self-contained unit. As used in this disclosure, a“fuel” is a material that is burned or undergoes combustion to producepower. Fuel may include, without limitation, a hydrocarbon fuel, apetroleum-based fuel, a gaseous fuel, a liquid fuel, a solid fuel,natural gas, oil, coal, gasoline, diesel, ethanol, hydrogen, or thelike, among others.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , and as also noted above, as used in thisdisclosure, a “generator” is a device that converts mechanical energy toelectrical energy. For example, a generator may convert motive power(mechanical energy or kinetic energy) into electrical power for use inan external circuit such as an electric motor. Sources of mechanicalenergy may include, without limitation, steam turbines, gas turbines,water turbines, internal combustion engines, wind turbines, and thelike, among others. As used in this disclosure, a “turbine” is a rotarymechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts itinto useful work. The work produced by a turbine can be used forgenerating electrical power when combined with a generator. As used inthis disclosure, a “turbine generator” is an electric generator drivenby a steam, gas or hydraulic turbine. As used in this disclosure, an“engine” is a machine that converts one or more forms of energy intomechanical energy. For example, and without limitation, an engine mayconvert energy from a source of heat, such as the burning or combustionof a fuel, into mechanical energy, force or motion. As used in thisdisclosure, an “internal combustion engine” or “ICE” is an engine inwhich the burning of a fuel occurs in a confined space called acombustion chamber.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , housing 304 of fuel pod 300 may include,house or contain various self-contained components, as needed ordesired. As used in this disclosure, a “housing” is a physical componentwithin which other internal components are located. In some cases,internal components with housing will be functional while function ofhousing may largely be to protect the internal components. Housing 304and/or fuel pod 300 may have a streamlined configuration, or the like,so as to minimize drag forces on aircraft 200 during flight, forexample, and without limitation, an airfoil shape or configuration.Housing 304 may contain fuel tank 308 and generator 312 therein. Housing304 may also contain, include or be attached to connection mechanism316. Housing mechanism may also contain or include a computing device(or controller) and/or one or more sensors therein for facilitationcommunication between fuel pod 300 and aircraft 200 and/or monitoringdiagnostics of fuel pod 300. Housing 304 may also contain a turbine 336and/or engine 340. Turbine 336 and engine 340 may include any of theturbines and engines as disclosed in the entirety of the presentdisclosure. In an embodiment, and without limitation, housing mayinclude a skin. Skin may be layered over the body shape of housing 304which may be constructed by trusses as described above with reference tofuselage 104 of FIG. 1 . Housing 304 and/or housing skin may comprise aplurality of materials such as plywood sheets, aluminum, fiberglass,and/or carbon fiber.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , in an embodiment, connection mechanism 316includes electrical interface (or link) 320 and communication interface(or link) 324. Connection mechanism 316 may include a connector 344 forfacilitating removable or detachable interfacing between connectionmechanism 316 and aircraft 200. Connection mechanism 316 may alsoinclude a mechanical interface 328 for removable mechanical attachmentto aircraft 200. Alternatively, mechanical interface 328 may be separatefrom connection mechanism. As used in this disclosure, “connectionmechanism” is a structure that facilitates connection or interfacingbetween two elements or relata. This may include an electricalconnection, mechanical connection, fluidic connection, opticalconnection, magnetic connection, and the like, among others.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 3 , as used in this disclosure, a“connector” is a distal end of a tether or a bundle of tethers, e.g.,hose, tubing, cables, wires, and the like, which is configured toremovably attach with a mating component, for example without limitationa port. As used in this disclosure, a “port” is an interface configuredto receive another component or an interface configured to transmitand/or receive signal on a computing device. For example in the case ofan electric vehicle port, the port may interface with a number ofconductors. In the case of a computing device port, the port may providean interface between a signal and a computing device. A connector mayinclude a male component having a penetrative form and port may includea female component having a receptive form, receptive to the malecomponent. Alternatively or additionally, connector may have a femalecomponent and port may have a male component. In some cases, connectormay include multiple connections, which may make contact and/orcommunicate with associated mating components within port, when theconnector is mated with the port.

With continued reference to FIG. 3 , connection mechanism 36, housing304 and/or connector 344 may be configured to mate with a port, forexample aircraft port 332. As used in this disclosure, “mate” is anaction of attaching two or more components together. As used in thisdisclosure, an “aircraft port” is a port located on electric aircraft200. Mating may be performed using a mechanical or electromechanicalmeans described in this disclosure. For example, without limitationmating may include an electromechanical device used to join electricalconductors and create an electrical circuit. In some cases, mating maybe performed by way of gendered mating components. A gendered mate mayinclude a male component or plug which is inserted within a femalecomponent or socket. In some cases, mating may be removable. In somecases, mating may be permanent. In some cases, mating may be removable,but require a specialized tool or key for removal. Mating may beachieved by way of one or more of plug and socket mates, pogo pincontact, crown spring mates, and the like. In some cases, mating may bekeyed to ensure proper alignment between connecting elements. In somecases, mating may be lockable. As used in this disclosure, a “matingcomponent” is a component that is configured to mate with at leastanother component, for example in a certain (i.e., mated) configuration.Connector 344 may also be referred to as a “mating connector” in thepresent disclosure. Aircraft port 332 may also be referred to as a“mating aircraft port” in the present disclosure. In modifiedembodiments, aircraft port may be substituted for by a male connector.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , as used in this disclosure, an “electricalinterface” is a connection or link between two or more relata whichfacilitates transmission of electric current or electrical flowtherebetween. As used in this disclosure, a “communication interface” isa connection or link between two or more relata which facilitates thetransmission of communication and/or control signals therebetween. Asused in this disclosure, a “mechanical interface” is a mechanicalconnection or link between two or more relata using mechanical means.Any of these interfaces may be temporary connections which can allowdetachable connection or removable attachment between.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, mechanical interface328 may include a latching mechanism which enables or facilitatesremovable or detachable mechanical attachment to or mating with aircraft200. Aircraft 200 may have a compatible and/or mating latching mechanismto facilitate such removable attachment. Advantageously, this adds a newdimension of versatility as, depending on the payload, flightconditions, and/or destination of the aircraft, fuel pod(s) 300 may beselectively utilized. A mating latching mechanism may be provided at anysuitable location on aircraft such as, and without limitations, internalor external to booms, wings and fuselage of aircraft. As used in thisdisclosure, a “latching mechanism” is any mechanism or device thatallows for removable or detachable connection between two elements.Latching mechanism may include, without limitation, latches, fasteners,clamps, buckles, locks, clips, actuators, bolts, screws, bolt-nutcombinations, connectors which may be manually, electronically,magnetically and/or remotely operable to detachably connect, attach orfasten elements. Compatible and/or mating latching mechanism andelements may be provided on both fuel pod and aircraft. Connectionmechanism 316, connector 344 and/or mechanical interface 328 may includea fastener. As used in this disclosure, a “fastener” is a physicalcomponent that is designed and/or configured to attach or fasten two (ormore) components together. Fasteners may include threads, snaps, cantedcoil springs, and the like. Fasteners may include without limitationhook-and-loop fasteners such as or fasteners held together by aplurality of flanged or “mushroom”-shaped elements. In some cases,Fastener may be configured to provide removable attachment between fuelpod 300 and aircraft 200. Removable attachment can be considered to bean attributive term that refers to an attribute of one or more relata tobe attached to and subsequently detached from another relata; removableattachment is a relation that is contrary to permanent attachmentwherein two or more relata may be attached without any means for futuredetachment without damage to at least one of the relata. Exemplarynon-limiting methods of permanent attachment include certain uses ofadhesives, glues, nails, engineering interference (i.e., press) fits,and the like. In some cases, detachment of two or more relatapermanently attached may result in breakage of one or more of the two ormore relata.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , fuel pod 300 may be removably attachable toat least a boom (e.g. booms 136 of FIG. 1 ) of hybrid electric aircraft200. Fuel pod 300 may be removably attachable to a lower surface ofboom. A pair of fuel pods 300 may be provided with each fuel podrespectively attachable to a respective boom. Alternatively, or inaddition, one or more fuel pods 300 may be removably attachable towings, fuselage and other structures of aircraft, as needed or desired.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 3 , generator 312 may include any of thegenerators as disclosed in the present disclosure. Generator 312 may beconfigured to electrically connect to at least an electric motor 220 ofplurality of flight components 108. Generator 312 may be configured topower at least an electric motor 220 of plurality of flight components108. Generator 312 may be configured to power at least a lift component(e.g. lift component 112 of FIG. 1 ) of plurality of flight components108 either directly or indirectly via an intervening electric motor orthe like. Generator 312 may be configured to power at least a pushercomponent (e.g. pusher component 116 of FIG. 1 ) of plurality of flightcomponents 108 either directly or indirectly via an intervening electricmotor or the like. Generator 312 may be configured to power at least apropulsor of plurality of flight components 108 either directly orindirectly via an intervening electric motor. These electricalconnections and powering may be via or facilitated by electricalinterface 320.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , generator 312 may be configured toelectrically connect to at least a battery 232 of hybrid electricaircraft 200. Generator 312 may be configured to charge or recharge atleast a battery 232 of hybrid electric aircraft 200. These electricalconnections and charging (or recharging) may be via or facilitated byelectrical interface 320.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , fuel pod 300 may further include a computingdevice or controller configured to communicatively connect with flightcontroller 124 of hybrid electric aircraft 200. Computing device orcontroller may be configured to communicatively connect with flightcontroller 124 of hybrid electric aircraft 200 via communicationinterface 324. Communication interface may be configured to conductsignals (e.g. communication signals, control signals, monitoringsignals, and the like) between flight pod computing device or controllerand flight controller 124.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , fuel pod 300 may further include at least asensor. Sensor may include any suitable sensor, plurality of sensors orsensor suite as disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure.Sensor may be communicatively connected to computing device orcontroller of fuel pod 300. Alternatively, or in addition, sensor may becommunicatively connected to flight controller 124. Sensor may beconfigured to detect an electric current emanating from or throughgenerator 312, fuel pod 300 and/or electrical interface 320. Sensor maybe configured to detect a fuel level (or remaining fuel capacity) offuel tank 308. Sensor may include a temperature sensor, or the like.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 3 , connection mechanism 316 may furtherinclude connector or mating connector 344 configured to mate with hybridelectric aircraft 200. Connector or mating connector 344 may beconfigured to mate with aircraft port 332 of hybrid electric aircraft200. Connector or mating connector 344 may be configured to mate withaircraft port 332 at a boom of hybrid electric aircraft 200. At least aportion of electrical interface 320 and at least a portion ofcommunication interface 324 may be located at connector or matingconnector 344. Electrical interface 320 may be configured to conduct anelectrical flow from fuel pod 300 to hybrid electric aircraft 200.

With continued reference to FIG. 3 , connection mechanism 316 mayfurther include mechanical interface 328 configured to removably attachfuel pod 300 to hybrid electric aircraft 200. Alternatively, or inaddition, mechanical interface 328 or a portion of it may be separatefrom connection mechanism 316 and/or connector 344. Mechanical interface328 may include a latching mechanism, or the like, to removably connector attach fuel pod 300 to aircraft 200.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , another exemplary embodiment of a power system400 for a hybrid electric aircraft is illustrated. Hybrid electricaircraft can be the same, substantially the same or similar to any ofthe aircrafts as disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure.For purposes of readability, the same reference numerals as FIG. 1 maybe used to refer to like elements in FIG. 4 . Power system 400 mayinclude one or more sensors which may include any of the sensors asdisclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure. Power system 400may include a computing device or controller which may include any ofthe computing devices and/or controllers as disclosed in the entirety ofthe present disclosure. Computing device may be communicativelyconnected to sensor(s) and/or any other components of power system 400for purposes of controlling operation of power system 400 and itsassociated aircraft.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , power system 400 may include a batterysystem 424 and a fuel system. Battery system 424 may be housed in afuselage 104 of hybrid electric aircraft. In a non-limiting example,battery system 424 may include three battery packs 428. In modifiedembodiments, the number of battery packs (and batteries therein) may beefficaciously changed, as needed or desired, depending on factors suchas flight plan, flight destination, payload, and the like, among others.Battery system 424 and/or battery packs 428 may be housed in one or morebays in fuselage 104.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 4 , power system 400 may include a fuelsystem with a first fuel pod 408 a and a second fuel pod 408 b. Fuel pod408 a may be attached to first boom 136 a of aircraft. Fuel pod 408 bmay be attached to second boom 136 b of aircraft. First fuel pod 408 amay contain a first fuel tank 412 a and a generator 416 a. Second fuelpod 408 b may contain a second fuel tank 412 b and a second generator416 b. A latching mechanism may be provided to attach fuel pods to boomsof aircraft. Fuel pods may be removably or detachably attached to boomsof aircraft. This attachment may involve a “bolt-on” configuration. Hardmounting points may also be utilized for the attachment of fuel pods.Fuel pods may also be referred to as “drop tanks” and/or auxiliary powerunits (APUs). In a non-limiting example, fuel pods 408 a, 408 b may eachhave a power capacity in the range from about 60 kW to about 85 kW.

Referring now to FIG. 5 , yet another exemplary embodiment of a powersystem 500 for a hybrid electric aircraft is illustrated. Hybridelectric aircraft can be the same, substantially the same or similar toany of the aircrafts as disclosed in the entirety of the presentdisclosure. For purposes of readability, the same reference numerals asFIG. 1 may be used to refer to like elements in FIG. 5 . Power system500 may include one or more sensors which may include any of the sensorsas disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure. Power system 500may include a computing device or controller which may include any ofthe computing devices and/or controllers as disclosed in the entirety ofthe present disclosure. Computing device may be communicativelyconnected to sensor(s) and/or any other components of power system 400for purposes of controlling operation of power system 500 and itsassociated aircraft.

Still referring to FIG. 5 , power system 500 may include a batterysystem 524 and a fuel system 504. Battery system 524 may be housed in afuselage 104 of hybrid electric aircraft. In a non-limiting example,battery system 524 may include two battery packs 528. In modifiedembodiments, the number of battery packs (and batteries therein) may beefficaciously changed, as needed or desired, depending on factors suchas flight plan, flight destination, payload, and the like, among others.Battery system 524 and/or battery packs 528 may be housed in one or morebays in fuselage 104.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 5 , power system 500 may include a fuelsystem with a first fuel pod 508 a, a second fuel pod 508 b, a thirdfuel pod 508 c and a generator 516. Fuel pods 508 a, 508 b, 508 c may behoused in one or more bays in fuselage 104. First fuel pod 508 a maycontain a first fuel tank 512 a. Second fuel pod 508 b may contain asecond fuel tank 512 b. Third fuel pod 508 c may contain a third fueltank 512 c. A latching mechanism may be provided to attach fuel pods tofuselage of aircraft. Fuel pods may be removably or detachably attachedto fuselage of aircraft. This attachment may involve a “bolt-on”configuration. Hard mounting points may also be utilized for theattachment of fuel pods. Fuel pods may also be referred to as “droptanks” and/or auxiliary power units (APUs). Generator 516 may beprovided in fuselage 104 of aircraft. Generator may be spaced from fuelpods. In an embodiment, generator 516 may be fixedly attached tofuselage 104 and may be integral to aircraft. In a modified embodiment,generator 516 may be removably or detachably attached to aircraft. In anon-limiting example, fuel system 504 may have a power capacity in therange from about 250 kW to about 500 kW.

Now referring to FIG. 6 , an exemplary embodiment 600 of a flightcontroller 604 is illustrated. (Flight controller 124 of FIG. 1 and FIG.2 may be the same as or similar to flight controller 604.) As used inthis disclosure a “flight controller” is a computing device of aplurality of computing devices dedicated to data storage, security,distribution of traffic for load balancing, and flight instruction.Flight controller 604 may include and/or communicate with any computingdevice as described in this disclosure, including without limitation amicrocontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) and/orsystem on a chip (SoC) as described in this disclosure. Further, flightcontroller 604 may include a single computing device operatingindependently, or may include two or more computing device operating inconcert, in parallel, sequentially or the like; two or more computingdevices may be included together in a single computing device or in twoor more computing devices. In embodiments, flight controller 604 may beinstalled in an aircraft, may control the aircraft remotely, and/or mayinclude an element installed in the aircraft and a remote element incommunication therewith.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604may include a signal transformation component 608. As used in thisdisclosure a “signal transformation component” is a component thattransforms and/or converts a first signal to a second signal, wherein asignal may include one or more digital and/or analog signals. Forexample, and without limitation, signal transformation component 608 maybe configured to perform one or more operations such as preprocessing,lexical analysis, parsing, semantic analysis, and the like thereof. Inan embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformation component608 may include one or more analog-to-digital convertors that transforma first signal of an analog signal to a second signal of a digitalsignal. For example, and without limitation, an analog-to-digitalconverter may convert an analog input signal to a 10-bit binary digitalrepresentation of that signal. In another embodiment, signaltransformation component 608 may include transforming one or morelow-level languages such as, but not limited to, machine languagesand/or assembly languages. For example, and without limitation, signaltransformation component 608 may include transforming a binary languagesignal to an assembly language signal. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, signal transformation component 608 may include transformingone or more high-level languages and/or formal languages such as but notlimited to alphabets, strings, and/or languages. For example, andwithout limitation, high-level languages may include one or more systemlanguages, scripting languages, domain-specific languages, visuallanguages, esoteric languages, and the like thereof. As a furthernon-limiting example, high-level languages may include one or morealgebraic formula languages, business data languages, string and listlanguages, object-oriented languages, and the like thereof.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , signal transformation component 608 may beconfigured to optimize an intermediate representation 612. As used inthis disclosure an “intermediate representation” is a data structureand/or code that represents the input signal. Signal transformationcomponent 608 may optimize intermediate representation as a function ofa data-flow analysis, dependence analysis, alias analysis, pointeranalysis, escape analysis, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, signal transformation component 608 may optimizeintermediate representation 612 as a function of one or more inlineexpansions, dead code eliminations, constant propagation, looptransformations, and/or automatic parallelization functions. In anotherembodiment, signal transformation component 608 may optimizeintermediate representation as a function of a machine dependentoptimization such as a peephole optimization, wherein a peepholeoptimization may rewrite short sequences of code into more efficientsequences of code. Signal transformation component 608 may optimizeintermediate representation to generate an output language, wherein an“output language,” as used herein, is the native machine language offlight controller 604. For example, and without limitation, nativemachine language may include one or more binary and/or numericallanguages.

In an embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformationcomponent 608 may include transform one or more inputs and outputs as afunction of an error correction code. An error correction code, alsoknown as error correcting code (ECC), is an encoding of a message or lotof data using redundant information, permitting recovery of corrupteddata. An ECC may include a block code, in which information is encodedon fixed-size packets and/or blocks of data elements such as symbols ofpredetermined size, bits, or the like. Reed-Solomon coding, in whichmessage symbols within a symbol set having q symbols are encoded ascoefficients of a polynomial of degree less than or equal to a naturalnumber k, over a finite field F with q elements; strings so encoded havea minimum hamming distance of k+1, and permit correction of (q−k−1)/2erroneous symbols. Block code may alternatively or additionally beimplemented using Golay coding, also known as binary Golay coding,Bose-Chaudhuri, Hocquenghuem (BCH) coding, multidimensional parity-checkcoding, and/or Hamming codes. An ECC may alternatively or additionallybe based on a convolutional code.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604may include a reconfigurable hardware platform 616. A “reconfigurablehardware platform,” as used herein, is a component and/or unit ofhardware that may be reprogrammed, such that, for instance, a data pathbetween elements such as logic gates or other digital circuit elementsmay be modified to change an algorithm, state, logical sequence, or thelike of the component and/or unit. This may be accomplished with suchflexible high-speed computing fabrics as field-programmable gate arrays(FPGAs), which may include a grid of interconnected logic gates,connections between which may be severed and/or restored to program inmodified logic. Reconfigurable hardware platform 616 may be reconfiguredto enact any algorithm and/or algorithm selection process received fromanother computing device and/or created using machine-learningprocesses.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , reconfigurable hardware platform 616 mayinclude a logic component 620. As used in this disclosure a “logiccomponent” is a component that executes instructions on output language.For example, and without limitation, logic component may perform basicarithmetic, logic, controlling, input/output operations, and the likethereof. Logic component 620 may include any suitable processor, such aswithout limitation a component incorporating logical circuitry forperforming arithmetic and logical operations, such as an arithmetic andlogic unit (ALU), which may be regulated with a state machine anddirected by operational inputs from memory and/or sensors; logiccomponent 620 may be organized according to Von Neumann and/or Harvardarchitecture as a non-limiting example. Logic component 620 may include,incorporate, and/or be incorporated in, without limitation, amicrocontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), FieldProgrammable Gate Array (FPGA), Complex Programmable Logic Device(CPLD), Graphical Processing Unit (GPU), general purpose GPU, TensorProcessing Unit (TPU), analog or mixed signal processor, TrustedPlatform Module (TPM), a floating point unit (FPU), and/or system on achip (SoC). In an embodiment, logic component 620 may include one ormore integrated circuit microprocessors, which may contain one or morecentral processing units, central processors, and/or main processors, ona single metal-oxide-semiconductor chip. Logic component 620 may beconfigured to execute a sequence of stored instructions to be performedon the output language and/or intermediate representation 612. Logiccomponent 620 may be configured to fetch and/or retrieve the instructionfrom a memory cache, wherein a “memory cache,” as used in thisdisclosure, is a stored instruction set on flight controller 604. Logiccomponent 620 may be configured to decode the instruction retrieved fromthe memory cache to opcodes and/or operands. Logic component 620 may beconfigured to execute the instruction on intermediate representation 612and/or output language. For example, and without limitation, logiccomponent 620 may be configured to execute an addition operation onintermediate representation 612 and/or output language.

In an embodiment, and without limitation, logic component 620 may beconfigured to calculate a flight element 624. As used in this disclosurea “flight element” is an element of datum denoting a relative status ofaircraft. For example, and without limitation, flight element 624 maydenote one or more torques, thrusts, airspeed velocities, forces,altitudes, groundspeed velocities, directions during flight, directionsfacing, forces, orientations, and the like thereof. For example, andwithout limitation, flight element 624 may denote that aircraft iscruising at an altitude and/or with a sufficient magnitude of forwardthrust. As a further non-limiting example, flight status may denote thatis building thrust and/or groundspeed velocity in preparation for atakeoff. As a further non-limiting example, flight element 624 maydenote that aircraft is following a flight path accurately and/orsufficiently.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604 may include a chipsetcomponent 628. As used in this disclosure a “chipset component” is acomponent that manages data flow. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, chipset component 628 may include a northbridge data flowpath, wherein the northbridge dataflow path may manage data flow fromlogic component 620 to a high-speed device and/or component, such as aRAM, graphics controller, and the like thereof. In another embodiment,and without limitation, chipset component 628 may include a southbridgedata flow path, wherein the southbridge dataflow path may manage dataflow from logic component 620 to lower-speed peripheral buses, such as aperipheral component interconnect (PCI), industry standard architecture(ICA), and the like thereof. In an embodiment, and without limitation,southbridge data flow path may include managing data flow betweenperipheral connections such as ethernet, USB, audio devices, and thelike thereof. Additionally or alternatively, chipset component 628 maymanage data flow between logic component 620, memory cache, and a flightcomponent 108. As used in this disclosure (and with particular referenceto FIG. 6 ) a “flight component” is a portion of an aircraft that can bemoved or adjusted to affect one or more flight elements. For example,flight component 108 may include a component used to affect theaircrafts' roll and pitch which may comprise one or more ailerons. As afurther example, flight component 108 may include a rudder to controlyaw of an aircraft. In an embodiment, chipset component 628 may beconfigured to communicate with a plurality of flight components as afunction of flight element 624. For example, and without limitation,chipset component 628 may transmit to an aircraft rotor to reduce torqueof a first lift propulsor and increase the forward thrust produced by apusher component to perform a flight maneuver.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604may be configured generate an autonomous function. As used in thisdisclosure an “autonomous function” is a mode and/or function of flightcontroller 604 that controls aircraft automatically. For example, andwithout limitation, autonomous function may perform one or more aircraftmaneuvers, take offs, landings, altitude adjustments, flight levelingadjustments, turns, climbs, and/or descents. As a further non-limitingexample, autonomous function may adjust one or more airspeed velocities,thrusts, torques, and/or groundspeed velocities. As a furthernon-limiting example, autonomous function may perform one or more flightpath corrections and/or flight path modifications as a function offlight element 624. In an embodiment, autonomous function may includeone or more modes of autonomy such as, but not limited to, autonomousmode, semi-autonomous mode, and/or non-autonomous mode. As used in thisdisclosure “autonomous mode” is a mode that automatically adjusts and/orcontrols aircraft and/or the maneuvers of aircraft in its entirety. Forexample, autonomous mode may denote that flight controller 604 willadjust the aircraft. As used in this disclosure a “semi-autonomous mode”is a mode that automatically adjusts and/or controls a portion and/orsection of aircraft. For example, and without limitation,semi-autonomous mode may denote that a pilot will control thepropulsors, wherein flight controller 604 will control the aileronsand/or rudders. As used in this disclosure “non-autonomous mode” is amode that denotes a pilot will control aircraft and/or maneuvers ofaircraft in its entirety.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604may generate autonomous function as a function of an autonomousmachine-learning model. As used in this disclosure an “autonomousmachine-learning model” is a machine-learning model to produce anautonomous function output given flight element 624 and a pilot signal636 as inputs; this is in contrast to a non-machine learning softwareprogram where the commands to be executed are determined in advance by auser and written in a programming language. As used in this disclosure a“pilot signal” is an element of datum representing one or more functionsa pilot is controlling and/or adjusting. For example, pilot signal 636may denote that a pilot is controlling and/or maneuvering ailerons,wherein the pilot is not in control of the rudders and/or propulsors. Inan embodiment, pilot signal 636 may include an implicit signal and/or anexplicit signal. For example, and without limitation, pilot signal 636may include an explicit signal, wherein the pilot explicitly statesthere is a lack of control and/or desire for autonomous function. As afurther non-limiting example, pilot signal 636 may include an explicitsignal directing flight controller 604 to control and/or maintain aportion of aircraft, a portion of the flight plan, the entire aircraft,and/or the entire flight plan. As a further non-limiting example, pilotsignal 636 may include an implicit signal, wherein flight controller 604detects a lack of control such as by a malfunction, torque alteration,flight path deviation, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, pilot signal 636 may include one or more explicitsignals to reduce torque, and/or one or more implicit signals thattorque may be reduced due to reduction of airspeed velocity. In anembodiment, and without limitation, pilot signal 636 may include one ormore local and/or global signals. For example, and without limitation,pilot signal 636 may include a local signal that is transmitted by apilot and/or crew member. As a further non-limiting example, pilotsignal 636 may include a global signal that is transmitted by airtraffic control and/or one or more remote users that are incommunication with the pilot of aircraft. In an embodiment, pilot signal636 may be received as a function of a tri-state bus and/or multiplexorthat denotes an explicit pilot signal should be transmitted prior to anyimplicit or global pilot signal.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , autonomous machine-learning model mayinclude one or more autonomous machine-learning processes such assupervised, unsupervised, or reinforcement machine-learning processesthat flight controller 604 and/or a remote device may or may not use inthe generation of autonomous function. As used in this disclosure“remote device” is an external device to flight controller 604.Additionally or alternatively, autonomous machine-learning model mayinclude one or more autonomous machine-learning processes that afield-programmable gate array (FPGA) may or may not use in thegeneration of autonomous function. Autonomous machine-learning processmay include, without limitation machine learning processes such assimple linear regression, multiple linear regression, polynomialregression, support vector regression, ridge regression, lassoregression, elasticnet regression, decision tree regression, randomforest regression, logistic regression, logistic classification,K-nearest neighbors, support vector machines, kernel support vectormachines, naïve bayes, decision tree classification, random forestclassification, K-means clustering, hierarchical clustering,dimensionality reduction, principal component analysis, lineardiscriminant analysis, kernel principal component analysis, Q-learning,State Action Reward State Action (SARSA), Deep-Q network, Markovdecision processes, Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), or thelike thereof.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , autonomous machinelearning model may be trained as a function of autonomous training data,wherein autonomous training data may correlate a flight element, pilotsignal, and/or simulation data to an autonomous function. For example,and without limitation, a flight element of an airspeed velocity, apilot signal of limited and/or no control of propulsors, and asimulation data of required airspeed velocity to reach the destinationmay result in an autonomous function that includes a semi-autonomousmode to increase thrust of the propulsors. Autonomous training data maybe received as a function of user-entered valuations of flight elements,pilot signals, simulation data, and/or autonomous functions. Flightcontroller 604 may receive autonomous training data by receivingcorrelations of flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation data toan autonomous function that were previously received and/or determinedduring a previous iteration of generation of autonomous function.Autonomous training data may be received by one or more remote devicesand/or FPGAs that at least correlate a flight element, pilot signal,and/or simulation data to an autonomous function. Autonomous trainingdata may be received in the form of one or more user-enteredcorrelations of a flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation datato an autonomous function.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604 may receive autonomousmachine-learning model from a remote device and/or FPGA that utilizesone or more autonomous machine learning processes, wherein a remotedevice and an FPGA is described above in detail. For example, andwithout limitation, a remote device may include a computing device,external device, processor, FPGA, microprocessor and the like thereof.Remote device and/or FPGA may perform the autonomous machine-learningprocess using autonomous training data to generate autonomous functionand transmit the output to flight controller 604. Remote device and/orFPGA may transmit a signal, bit, datum, or parameter to flightcontroller 604 that at least relates to autonomous function.Additionally or alternatively, the remote device and/or FPGA may providean updated machine-learning model. For example, and without limitation,an updated machine-learning model may be comprised of a firmware update,a software update, an autonomous machine-learning process correction,and the like thereof. As a non-limiting example a software update mayincorporate a new simulation data that relates to a modified flightelement. Additionally or alternatively, the updated machine learningmodel may be transmitted to the remote device and/or FPGA, wherein theremote device and/or FPGA may replace the autonomous machine-learningmodel with the updated machine-learning model and generate theautonomous function as a function of the flight element, pilot signal,and/or simulation data using the updated machine-learning model. Theupdated machine-learning model may be transmitted by the remote deviceand/or FPGA and received by flight controller 604 as a software update,firmware update, or corrected autonomous machine-learning model. Forexample, and without limitation autonomous machine learning model mayutilize a neural net machine-learning process, wherein the updatedmachine-learning model may incorporate a gradient boostingmachine-learning process.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604 may include, beincluded in, and/or communicate with a mobile device such as a mobiletelephone or smartphone. Further, flight controller may communicate withone or more additional devices as described below in further detail viaa network interface device. The network interface device may be utilizedfor commutatively connecting a flight controller to one or more of avariety of networks, and one or more devices. Examples of a networkinterface device include, but are not limited to, a network interfacecard (e.g., a mobile network interface card, a LAN card), a modem, andany combination thereof. Examples of a network include, but are notlimited to, a wide area network (e.g., the Internet, an enterprisenetwork), a local area network (e.g., a network associated with anoffice, a building, a campus or other relatively small geographicspace), a telephone network, a data network associated with atelephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications provider dataand/or voice network), a direct connection between two computingdevices, and any combinations thereof. The network may include anynetwork topology and can may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode ofcommunication.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604may include, but is not limited to, for example, a cluster of flightcontrollers in a first location and a second flight controller orcluster of flight controllers in a second location. Flight controller604 may include one or more flight controllers dedicated to datastorage, security, distribution of traffic for load balancing, and thelike. Flight controller 604 may be configured to distribute one or morecomputing tasks as described below across a plurality of flightcontrollers, which may operate in parallel, in series, redundantly, orin any other manner used for distribution of tasks or memory betweencomputing devices. For example, and without limitation, flightcontroller 604 may implement a control algorithm to distribute and/orcommand the plurality of flight controllers. As used in this disclosurea “control algorithm” is a finite sequence of well-defined computerimplementable instructions that may determine the flight component ofthe plurality of flight components to be adjusted. For example, andwithout limitation, control algorithm may include one or more algorithmsthat reduce and/or prevent aviation asymmetry. As a further non-limitingexample, control algorithms may include one or more models generated asa function of a software including, but not limited to Simulink byMathWorks, Natick, Mass., USA. In an embodiment, and without limitation,control algorithm may be configured to generate an auto-code, wherein an“auto-code,” is used herein, is a code and/or algorithm that isgenerated as a function of the one or more models and/or software's. Inanother embodiment, control algorithm may be configured to produce asegmented control algorithm. As used in this disclosure a “segmentedcontrol algorithm” is control algorithm that has been separated and/orparsed into discrete sections. For example, and without limitation,segmented control algorithm may parse control algorithm into two or moresegments, wherein each segment of control algorithm may be performed byone or more flight controllers operating on distinct flight components.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , control algorithm maybe configured to determine a segmentation boundary as a function ofsegmented control algorithm. As used in this disclosure a “segmentationboundary” is a limit and/or delineation associated with the segments ofthe segmented control algorithm. For example, and without limitation,segmentation boundary may denote that a segment in the control algorithmhas a first starting section and/or a first ending section. As a furthernon-limiting example, segmentation boundary may include one or moreboundaries associated with an ability of flight component 108. In anembodiment, control algorithm may be configured to create an optimizedsignal communication as a function of segmentation boundary. Forexample, and without limitation, optimized signal communication mayinclude identifying the discrete timing required to transmit and/orreceive the one or more segmentation boundaries. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, creating optimized signal communication furthercomprises separating a plurality of signal codes across the plurality offlight controllers. For example, and without limitation the plurality offlight controllers may include one or more formal networks, whereinformal networks transmit data along an authority chain and/or arelimited to task-related communications. As a further non-limitingexample, communication network may include informal networks, whereininformal networks transmit data in any direction. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, the plurality of flight controllers may include achain path, wherein a “chain path,” as used herein, is a linearcommunication path comprising a hierarchy that data may flow through. Inan embodiment, and without limitation, the plurality of flightcontrollers may include an all-channel path, wherein an “all-channelpath,” as used herein, is a communication path that is not restricted toa particular direction. For example, and without limitation, data may betransmitted upward, downward, laterally, and the like thereof. In anembodiment, and without limitation, the plurality of flight controllersmay include one or more neural networks that assign a weighted value toa transmitted datum. For example, and without limitation, a weightedvalue may be assigned as a function of one or more signals denoting thata flight component is malfunctioning and/or in a failure state.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , the plurality of flight controllers mayinclude a master bus controller. As used in this disclosure a “masterbus controller” is one or more devices and/or components that areconnected to a bus to initiate a direct memory access transaction,wherein a bus is one or more terminals in a bus architecture. Master buscontroller may communicate using synchronous and/or asynchronous buscontrol protocols. In an embodiment, master bus controller may includeflight controller 604. In another embodiment, master bus controller mayinclude one or more universal asynchronous receiver-transmitters (UART).For example, and without limitation, master bus controller may includeone or more bus architectures that allow a bus to initiate a directmemory access transaction from one or more buses in the busarchitectures. As a further non-limiting example, master bus controllermay include one or more peripheral devices and/or components tocommunicate with another peripheral device and/or component and/or themaster bus controller. In an embodiment, master bus controller may beconfigured to perform bus arbitration. As used in this disclosure “busarbitration” is method and/or scheme to prevent multiple buses fromattempting to communicate with and/or connect to master bus controller.For example and without limitation, bus arbitration may include one ormore schemes such as a small computer interface system, wherein a smallcomputer interface system is a set of standards for physical connectingand transferring data between peripheral devices and master buscontroller by defining commands, protocols, electrical, optical, and/orlogical interfaces. In an embodiment, master bus controller may receiveintermediate representation 612 and/or output language from logiccomponent 620, wherein output language may include one or moreanalog-to-digital conversions, low bit rate transmissions, messageencryptions, digital signals, binary signals, logic signals, analogsignals, and the like thereof described above in detail.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , master bus controller may communicate with aslave bus. As used in this disclosure a “slave bus” is one or moreperipheral devices and/or components that initiate a bus transfer. Forexample, and without limitation, slave bus may receive one or morecontrols and/or asymmetric communications from master bus controller,wherein slave bus transfers data stored to master bus controller. In anembodiment, and without limitation, slave bus may include one or moreinternal buses, such as but not limited to a/an internal data bus,memory bus, system bus, front-side bus, and the like thereof. In anotherembodiment, and without limitation, slave bus may include one or moreexternal buses such as external flight controllers, external computers,remote devices, printers, aircraft computer systems, flight controlsystems, and the like thereof.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 6 , control algorithm mayoptimize signal communication as a function of determining one or morediscrete timings. For example, and without limitation master buscontroller may synchronize timing of the segmented control algorithm byinjecting high priority timing signals on a bus of the master buscontrol. As used in this disclosure a “high priority timing signal” isinformation denoting that the information is important. For example, andwithout limitation, high priority timing signal may denote that asection of control algorithm is of high priority and should be analyzedand/or transmitted prior to any other sections being analyzed and/ortransmitted. In an embodiment, high priority timing signal may includeone or more priority packets. As used in this disclosure a “prioritypacket” is a formatted unit of data that is communicated between theplurality of flight controllers. For example, and without limitation,priority packet may denote that a section of control algorithm should beused and/or is of greater priority than other sections.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller 604 may also beimplemented using a “shared nothing” architecture in which data iscached at the worker, in an embodiment, this may enable scalability ofaircraft and/or computing device. Flight controller 604 may include adistributer flight controller. As used in this disclosure a “distributerflight controller” is a component that adjusts and/or controls aplurality of flight components as a function of a plurality of flightcontrollers. For example, distributer flight controller may include aflight controller that communicates with a plurality of additionalflight controllers and/or clusters of flight controllers. In anembodiment, distributed flight control may include one or more neuralnetworks. For example, neural network also known as an artificial neuralnetwork, is a network of “nodes,” or data structures having one or moreinputs, one or more outputs, and a function determining outputs based oninputs. Such nodes may be organized in a network, such as withoutlimitation a convolutional neural network, including an input layer ofnodes, one or more intermediate layers, and an output layer of nodes.Connections between nodes may be created via the process of “training”the network, in which elements from a training dataset are applied tothe input nodes, a suitable training algorithm (such asLevenberg-Marquardt, conjugate gradient, simulated annealing, or otheralgorithms) is then used to adjust the connections and weights betweennodes in adjacent layers of the neural network to produce the desiredvalues at the output nodes. This process is sometimes referred to asdeep learning.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , a node may include, without limitation aplurality of inputs x_(i) that may receive numerical values from inputsto a neural network containing the node and/or from other nodes. Nodemay perform a weighted sum of inputs using weights w_(i) that aremultiplied by respective inputs x_(i). Additionally or alternatively, abias b may be added to the weighted sum of the inputs such that anoffset is added to each unit in the neural network layer that isindependent of the input to the layer. The weighted sum may then beinput into a function φ, which may generate one or more outputs y.Weight w_(i) applied to an input x_(i) may indicate whether the input is“excitatory,” indicating that it has strong influence on the one or moreoutputs y, for instance by the corresponding weight having a largenumerical value, and/or a “inhibitory,” indicating it has a weak effectinfluence on the one more inputs y, for instance by the correspondingweight having a small numerical value. The values of weights w_(i) maybe determined by training a neural network using training data, whichmay be performed using any suitable process as described above. In anembodiment, and without limitation, a neural network may receivesemantic units as inputs and output vectors representing such semanticunits according to weights w_(i) that are derived using machine-learningprocesses as described in this disclosure.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller may include asub-controller 640. As used in this disclosure a “sub-controller” is acontroller and/or component that is part of a distributed controller asdescribed above; for instance, flight controller 604 may be and/orinclude a distributed flight controller made up of one or moresub-controllers. For example, and without limitation, sub-controller 640may include any controllers and/or components thereof that are similarto distributed flight controller and/or flight controller as describedabove. Sub-controller 640 may include any component of any flightcontroller as described above. Sub-controller 640 may be implemented inany manner suitable for implementation of a flight controller asdescribed above. As a further non-limiting example, sub-controller 640may include one or more processors, logic components and/or computingdevices capable of receiving, processing, and/or transmitting dataacross the distributed flight controller as described above. As afurther non-limiting example, sub-controller 640 may include acontroller that receives a signal from a first flight controller and/orfirst distributed flight controller component and transmits the signalto a plurality of additional sub-controllers and/or flight components.

Still referring to FIG. 6 , flight controller may include aco-controller 644. As used in this disclosure a “co-controller” is acontroller and/or component that joins flight controller 604 ascomponents and/or nodes of a distributer flight controller as describedabove. For example, and without limitation, co-controller 644 mayinclude one or more controllers and/or components that are similar toflight controller 604. As a further non-limiting example, co-controller644 may include any controller and/or component that joins flightcontroller 604 to distributer flight controller. As a furthernon-limiting example, co-controller 644 may include one or moreprocessors, logic components and/or computing devices capable ofreceiving, processing, and/or transmitting data to and/or from flightcontroller 604 to distributed flight control system. Co-controller 644may include any component of any flight controller as described above.Co-controller 644 may be implemented in any manner suitable forimplementation of a flight controller as described above.

In an embodiment, and with continued reference to FIG. 6 , flightcontroller 604 may be designed and/or configured to perform any method,method step, or sequence of method steps in any embodiment described inthis disclosure, in any order and with any degree of repetition. Forinstance, flight controller 604 may be configured to perform a singlestep or sequence repeatedly until a desired or commanded outcome isachieved; repetition of a step or a sequence of steps may be performediteratively and/or recursively using outputs of previous repetitions asinputs to subsequent repetitions, aggregating inputs and/or outputs ofrepetitions to produce an aggregate result, reduction or decrement ofone or more variables such as global variables, and/or division of alarger processing task into a set of iteratively addressed smallerprocessing tasks. Flight controller may perform any step or sequence ofsteps as described in this disclosure in parallel, such assimultaneously and/or substantially simultaneously performing a step twoor more times using two or more parallel threads, processor cores, orthe like; division of tasks between parallel threads and/or processesmay be performed according to any protocol suitable for division oftasks between iterations. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing theentirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various ways in whichsteps, sequences of steps, processing tasks, and/or data may besubdivided, shared, or otherwise dealt with using iteration, recursion,and/or parallel processing.

Referring now to FIG. 7 , an exemplary embodiment of a machine-learningmodule 700 that may perform one or more machine-learning processes asdescribed in this disclosure is illustrated. Machine-learning module mayperform determinations, classification, and/or analysis steps, methods,processes, or the like as described in this disclosure usingmachine-learning processes. A “machine-learning process,” as used inthis disclosure, is a process that automatedly uses training data 704 togenerate an algorithm that will be performed by a computingdevice/module to produce outputs 708 given data provided as inputs 712;this is in contrast to a non-machine-learning software program where thecommands to be executed are determined in advance by a user and writtenin a programming language.

Still referring to FIG. 7 , “training data,” as used herein, is datacontaining correlations that a machine-learning process may use to modelrelationships between two or more categories of data elements. Forinstance, and without limitation, training data 704 may include aplurality of data entries, each entry representing a set of dataelements that were recorded, received, and/or generated together; dataelements may be correlated by shared existence in a given data entry, byproximity in a given data entry, or the like. Multiple data entries intraining data 704 may evince one or more trends in correlations betweencategories of data elements; for instance, and without limitation, ahigher value of a first data element belonging to a first category ofdata element may tend to correlate to a higher value of a second dataelement belonging to a second category of data element, indicating apossible proportional or other mathematical relationship linking valuesbelonging to the two categories. Multiple categories of data elementsmay be related in training data 704 according to various correlations;correlations may indicate causative and/or predictive links betweencategories of data elements, which may be modeled as relationships suchas mathematical relationships by machine-learning processes as describedin further detail below. Training data 704 may be formatted and/ororganized by categories of data elements, for instance by associatingdata elements with one or more descriptors corresponding to categoriesof data elements. As a non-limiting example, training data 704 mayinclude data entered in standardized forms by persons or processes, suchthat entry of a given data element in a given field in a form may bemapped to one or more descriptors of categories. Elements in trainingdata 704 may be linked to descriptors of categories by tags, tokens, orother data elements; for instance, and without limitation, training data704 may be provided in fixed-length formats, formats linking positionsof data to categories such as comma-separated value (CSV) formats and/orself-describing formats such as extensible markup language (XML),JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), or the like, enabling processes ordevices to detect categories of data.

Alternatively or additionally, and continuing to refer to FIG. 7 ,training data 704 may include one or more elements that are notcategorized; that is, training data 704 may not be formatted or containdescriptors for some elements of data. Machine-learning algorithmsand/or other processes may sort training data 704 according to one ormore categorizations using, for instance, natural language processingalgorithms, tokenization, detection of correlated values in raw data andthe like; categories may be generated using correlation and/or otherprocessing algorithms. As a non-limiting example, in a corpus of text,phrases making up a number “n” of compound words, such as nouns modifiedby other nouns, may be identified according to a statisticallysignificant prevalence of n-grams containing such words in a particularorder; such an n-gram may be categorized as an element of language suchas a “word” to be tracked similarly to single words, generating a newcategory as a result of statistical analysis. Similarly, in a data entryincluding some textual data, a person's name may be identified byreference to a list, dictionary, or other compendium of terms,permitting ad-hoc categorization by machine-learning algorithms, and/orautomated association of data in the data entry with descriptors or intoa given format. The ability to categorize data entries automatedly mayenable the same training data 704 to be made applicable for two or moredistinct machine-learning algorithms as described in further detailbelow. Training data 704 used by machine-learning module 700 maycorrelate any input data as described in this disclosure to any outputdata as described in this disclosure. As a non-limiting illustrativeexample flight elements and/or pilot signals may be inputs, wherein anoutput may be an autonomous function.

Further referring to FIG. 7 , training data may be filtered, sorted,and/or selected using one or more supervised and/or unsupervisedmachine-learning processes and/or models as described in further detailbelow; such models may include without limitation a training dataclassifier 716. Training data classifier 716 may include a “classifier,”which as used in this disclosure is a machine-learning model as definedbelow, such as a mathematical model, neural net, or program generated bya machine learning algorithm known as a “classification algorithm,” asdescribed in further detail below, that sorts inputs into categories orbins of data, outputting the categories or bins of data and/or labelsassociated therewith. A classifier may be configured to output at leasta datum that labels or otherwise identifies a set of data that areclustered together, found to be close under a distance metric asdescribed below, or the like. Machine-learning module 700 may generate aclassifier using a classification algorithm, defined as a processeswhereby a computing device and/or any module and/or component operatingthereon derives a classifier from training data 704. Classification maybe performed using, without limitation, linear classifiers such aswithout limitation logistic regression and/or naive Bayes classifiers,nearest neighbor classifiers such as k-nearest neighbors classifiers,support vector machines, least squares support vector machines, fisher'slinear discriminant, quadratic classifiers, decision trees, boostedtrees, random forest classifiers, learning vector quantization, and/orneural network-based classifiers. As a non-limiting example, trainingdata classifier 716 may classify elements of training data tosub-categories of flight elements such as torques, forces, thrusts,directions, and the like thereof.

Still referring to FIG. 7 , machine-learning module 700 may beconfigured to perform a lazy-learning process 720 and/or protocol, whichmay alternatively be referred to as a “lazy loading” or“call-when-needed” process and/or protocol, may be a process wherebymachine learning is conducted upon receipt of an input to be convertedto an output, by combining the input and training set to derive thealgorithm to be used to produce the output on demand. For instance, aninitial set of simulations may be performed to cover an initialheuristic and/or “first guess” at an output and/or relationship. As anon-limiting example, an initial heuristic may include a ranking ofassociations between inputs and elements of training data 704. Heuristicmay include selecting some number of highest-ranking associations and/ortraining data 704 elements. Lazy learning may implement any suitablelazy learning algorithm, including without limitation a K-nearestneighbors algorithm, a lazy naïve Bayes algorithm, or the like; personsskilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, willbe aware of various lazy-learning algorithms that may be applied togenerate outputs as described in this disclosure, including withoutlimitation lazy learning applications of machine-learning algorithms asdescribed in further detail below.

Alternatively or additionally, and with continued reference to FIG. 7 ,machine-learning processes as described in this disclosure may be usedto generate machine-learning models 724. A “machine-learning model,” asused in this disclosure, is a mathematical and/or algorithmicrepresentation of a relationship between inputs and outputs, asgenerated using any machine-learning process including withoutlimitation any process as described above, and stored in memory; aninput is submitted to a machine-learning model 724 once created, whichgenerates an output based on the relationship that was derived. Forinstance, and without limitation, a linear regression model, generatedusing a linear regression algorithm, may compute a linear combination ofinput data using coefficients derived during machine-learning processesto calculate an output datum. As a further non-limiting example, amachine-learning model 724 may be generated by creating an artificialneural network, such as a convolutional neural network comprising aninput layer of nodes, one or more intermediate layers, and an outputlayer of nodes. Connections between nodes may be created via the processof “training” the network, in which elements from a training data 704set are applied to the input nodes, a suitable training algorithm (suchas Levenberg-Marquardt, conjugate gradient, simulated annealing, orother algorithms) is then used to adjust the connections and weightsbetween nodes in adjacent layers of the neural network to produce thedesired values at the output nodes. This process is sometimes referredto as deep learning.

Still referring to FIG. 7 , machine-learning algorithms may include atleast a supervised machine-learning process 728. At least a supervisedmachine-learning process 728, as defined herein, include algorithms thatreceive a training set relating a number of inputs to a number ofoutputs, and seek to find one or more mathematical relations relatinginputs to outputs, where each of the one or more mathematical relationsis optimal according to some criterion specified to the algorithm usingsome scoring function. For instance, a supervised learning algorithm mayinclude flight elements and/or pilot signals as described above asinputs, autonomous functions as outputs, and a scoring functionrepresenting a desired form of relationship to be detected betweeninputs and outputs; scoring function may, for instance, seek to maximizethe probability that a given input and/or combination of elements inputsis associated with a given output to minimize the probability that agiven input is not associated with a given output. Scoring function maybe expressed as a risk function representing an “expected loss” of analgorithm relating inputs to outputs, where loss is computed as an errorfunction representing a degree to which a prediction generated by therelation is incorrect when compared to a given input-output pairprovided in training data 704. Persons skilled in the art, uponreviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of variouspossible variations of at least a supervised machine-learning process728 that may be used to determine relation between inputs and outputs.Supervised machine-learning processes may include classificationalgorithms as defined above.

Further referring to FIG. 7 , machine learning processes may include atleast an unsupervised machine-learning processes 732. An unsupervisedmachine-learning process, as used herein, is a process that derivesinferences in datasets without regard to labels; as a result, anunsupervised machine-learning process may be free to discover anystructure, relationship, and/or correlation provided in the data.Unsupervised processes may not require a response variable; unsupervisedprocesses may be used to find interesting patterns and/or inferencesbetween variables, to determine a degree of correlation between two ormore variables, or the like.

Still referring to FIG. 7 , machine-learning module 700 may be designedand configured to create a machine-learning model 724 using techniquesfor development of linear regression models. Linear regression modelsmay include ordinary least squares regression, which aims to minimizethe square of the difference between predicted outcomes and actualoutcomes according to an appropriate norm for measuring such adifference (e.g. a vector-space distance norm); coefficients of theresulting linear equation may be modified to improve minimization.Linear regression models may include ridge regression methods, where thefunction to be minimized includes the least-squares function plus termmultiplying the square of each coefficient by a scalar amount topenalize large coefficients. Linear regression models may include leastabsolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) models, in which ridgeregression is combined with multiplying the least-squares term by afactor of 1 divided by double the number of samples. Linear regressionmodels may include a multi-task lasso model wherein the norm applied inthe least-squares term of the lasso model is the Frobenius normamounting to the square root of the sum of squares of all terms. Linearregression models may include the elastic net model, a multi-taskelastic net model, a least angle regression model, a LARS lasso model,an orthogonal matching pursuit model, a Bayesian regression model, alogistic regression model, a stochastic gradient descent model, aperceptron model, a passive aggressive algorithm, a robustnessregression model, a Huber regression model, or any other suitable modelthat may occur to persons skilled in the art upon reviewing the entiretyof this disclosure. Linear regression models may be generalized in anembodiment to polynomial regression models, whereby a polynomialequation (e.g. a quadratic, cubic or higher-order equation) providing abest predicted output/actual output fit is sought; similar methods tothose described above may be applied to minimize error functions, aswill be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reviewing theentirety of this disclosure.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 7 , machine-learning algorithms may include,without limitation, linear discriminant analysis. Machine-learningalgorithm may include quadratic discriminate analysis. Machine-learningalgorithms may include kernel ridge regression. Machine-learningalgorithms may include support vector machines, including withoutlimitation support vector classification-based regression processes.Machine-learning algorithms may include stochastic gradient descentalgorithms, including classification and regression algorithms based onstochastic gradient descent. Machine-learning algorithms may includenearest neighbors algorithms. Machine-learning algorithms may includeGaussian processes such as Gaussian Process Regression. Machine-learningalgorithms may include cross-decomposition algorithms, including partialleast squares and/or canonical correlation analysis. Machine-learningalgorithms may include naïve Bayes methods. Machine-learning algorithmsmay include algorithms based on decision trees, such as decision treeclassification or regression algorithms. Machine-learning algorithms mayinclude ensemble methods such as bagging meta-estimator, forest ofrandomized tress, AdaBoost, gradient tree boosting, and/or votingclassifier methods. Machine-learning algorithms may include neural netalgorithms, including convolutional neural net processes.

It is to be noted that any one or more of the aspects and embodimentsdescribed herein may be conveniently implemented using one or moremachines (e.g., one or more computing devices that are utilized as auser computing device for an electronic document, one or more serverdevices, such as a document server, etc.) programmed according to theteachings of the present specification, as will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the computer art. Appropriate software coding canreadily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of thepresent disclosure, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe software art. Aspects and implementations discussed above employingsoftware and/or software modules may also include appropriate hardwarefor assisting in the implementation of the machine executableinstructions of the software and/or software module.

Such software may be a computer program product that employs amachine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable storage medium maybe any medium that is capable of storing and/or encoding a sequence ofinstructions for execution by a machine (e.g., a computing device) andthat causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologies and/orembodiments described herein. Examples of a machine-readable storagemedium include, but are not limited to, a magnetic disk, an optical disc(e.g., CD, CD-R, DVD, DVD-R, etc.), a magneto-optical disk, a read-onlymemory “ROM” device, a random access memory “RAM” device, a magneticcard, an optical card, a solid-state memory device, an EPROM, an EEPROM,and any combinations thereof. A machine-readable medium, as used herein,is intended to include a single medium as well as a collection ofphysically separate media, such as, for example, a collection of compactdiscs or one or more hard disk drives in combination with a computermemory. As used herein, a machine-readable storage medium does notinclude transitory forms of signal transmission.

Such software may also include information (e.g., data) carried as adata signal on a data carrier, such as a carrier wave. For example,machine-executable information may be included as a data-carrying signalembodied in a data carrier in which the signal encodes a sequence ofinstruction, or portion thereof, for execution by a machine (e.g., acomputing device) and any related information (e.g., data structures anddata) that causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologiesand/or embodiments described herein.

Examples of a computing device include, but are not limited to, anelectronic book reading device, a computer workstation, a terminalcomputer, a server computer, a handheld device (e.g., a tablet computer,a smartphone, etc.), a web appliance, a network router, a networkswitch, a network bridge, any machine capable of executing a sequence ofinstructions that specify an action to be taken by that machine, and anycombinations thereof. In one example, a computing device may includeand/or be included in a kiosk.

FIG. 8 shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of acomputing device in the exemplary form of a computer system 800 withinwhich a set of instructions for causing a control system to perform anyone or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the presentdisclosure may be executed. It is also contemplated that multiplecomputing devices may be utilized to implement a specially configuredset of instructions for causing one or more of the devices to performany one or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the presentdisclosure. Computer system 800 includes a processor 804 and a memory808 that communicate with each other, and with other components, via abus 812. Bus 812 may include any of several types of bus structuresincluding, but not limited to, a memory bus, a memory controller, aperipheral bus, a local bus, and any combinations thereof, using any ofa variety of bus architectures.

Processor 804 may include any suitable processor, such as withoutlimitation a processor incorporating logical circuitry for performingarithmetic and logical operations, such as an arithmetic and logic unit(ALU), which may be regulated with a state machine and directed byoperational inputs from memory and/or sensors; processor 804 may beorganized according to Von Neumann and/or Harvard architecture as anon-limiting example. Processor 804 may include, incorporate, and/or beincorporated in, without limitation, a microcontroller, microprocessor,digital signal processor (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA),Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), Graphical Processing Unit(GPU), general purpose GPU, Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), analog ormixed signal processor, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a floating pointunit (FPU), and/or system on a chip (SoC).

Memory 808 may include various components (e.g., machine-readable media)including, but not limited to, a random-access memory component, a readonly component, and any combinations thereof. In one example, a basicinput/output system 816 (BIOS), including basic routines that help totransfer information between elements within computer system 800, suchas during start-up, may be stored in memory 808. Memory 808 may alsoinclude (e.g., stored on one or more machine-readable media)instructions (e.g., software) 820 embodying any one or more of theaspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure. In anotherexample, memory 808 may further include any number of program modulesincluding, but not limited to, an operating system, one or moreapplication programs, other program modules, program data, and anycombinations thereof.

Computer system 800 may also include a storage device 824. Examples of astorage device (e.g., storage device 824) include, but are not limitedto, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disc drive incombination with an optical medium, a solid-state memory device, and anycombinations thereof. Storage device 824 may be connected to bus 812 byan appropriate interface (not shown). Example interfaces include, butare not limited to, SCSI, advanced technology attachment (ATA), serialATA, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394 (FIREWIRE), and anycombinations thereof. In one example, storage device 824 (or one or morecomponents thereof) may be removably interfaced with computer system 800(e.g., via an external port connector (not shown)). Particularly,storage device 824 and an associated machine-readable medium 828 mayprovide nonvolatile and/or volatile storage of machine-readableinstructions, data structures, program modules, and/or other data forcomputer system 800. In one example, software 820 may reside, completelyor partially, within machine-readable medium 828. In another example,software 820 may reside, completely or partially, within processor 804.

Computer system 800 may also include an input device 832. In oneexample, a user of computer system 800 may enter commands and/or otherinformation into computer system 800 via input device 832. Examples ofan input device 832 include, but are not limited to, an alpha-numericinput device (e.g., a keyboard), a pointing device, a joystick, agamepad, an audio input device (e.g., a microphone, a voice responsesystem, etc.), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touchpad, anoptical scanner, a video capture device (e.g., a still camera, a videocamera), a touchscreen, and any combinations thereof. Input device 832may be interfaced to bus 812 via any of a variety of interfaces (notshown) including, but not limited to, a serial interface, a parallelinterface, a game port, a USB interface, a FIREWIRE interface, a directinterface to bus 812, and any combinations thereof. Input device 832 mayinclude a touch screen interface that may be a part of or separate fromdisplay 836, discussed further below. Input device 832 may be utilizedas a user selection device for selecting one or more graphicalrepresentations in a graphical interface as described above.

A user may also input commands and/or other information to computersystem 800 via storage device 824 (e.g., a removable disk drive, a flashdrive, etc.) and/or network interface device 840. A network interfacedevice, such as network interface device 840, may be utilized forconnecting computer system 800 to one or more of a variety of networks,such as network 844, and one or more remote devices 848 connectedthereto. Examples of a network interface device include, but are notlimited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interfacecard, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of anetwork include, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., theInternet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a networkassociated with an office, a building, a campus or other relativelysmall geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associatedwith a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications providerdata and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computingdevices, and any combinations thereof. A network, such as network 844,may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode of communication. In general,any network topology may be used. Information (e.g., data, software 820,etc.) may be communicated to and/or from computer system 800 via networkinterface device 840.

Computer system 800 may further include a video display adapter 852 forcommunicating a displayable image to a display device, such as displaydevice 836. Examples of a display device include, but are not limitedto, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasmadisplay, a light emitting diode (LED) display, and any combinationsthereof. Display adapter 852 and display device 836 may be utilized incombination with processor 804 to provide graphical representations ofaspects of the present disclosure. In addition to a display device,computer system 800 may include one or more other peripheral outputdevices including, but not limited to, an audio speaker, a printer, andany combinations thereof. Such peripheral output devices may beconnected to bus 812 via a peripheral interface 856. Examples of aperipheral interface include, but are not limited to, a serial port, aUSB connection, a FIREWIRE connection, a parallel connection, and anycombinations thereof.

The foregoing has been a detailed description of illustrativeembodiments of the invention. Various modifications and additions can bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.Features of each of the various embodiments described above may becombined with features of other described embodiments as appropriate inorder to provide a multiplicity of feature combinations in associatednew embodiments. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number ofseparate embodiments, what has been described herein is merelyillustrative of the application of the principles of the presentinvention. Additionally, although particular methods herein may beillustrated and/or described as being performed in a specific order, theordering is highly variable within ordinary skill to achieve methods andsystems according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, thisdescription is meant to be taken only by way of example, and not tootherwise limit the scope of this invention.

Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various changes, omissions and additions may be made to that whichis specifically disclosed herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hybrid electric aircraft, comprising: afuselage and a wing; at least a flight component in mechanicalcommunication with the fuselage and configured to propel the hybridelectric aircraft; at least a battery mounted in the fuselage andconfigured to selectively power the at least a flight component; aflight controller configured to control the operation of the hybridelectric aircraft; and a fuel pod removably attached to the fuselage orthe wing, wherein the fuel pod comprises: a housing; a fuel tankcontained within the housing, wherein the fuel tank is configured tohold a fuel therein; a generator contained within the housing andconnected to the fuel tank, wherein the generator is configured to powerat least one of a plurality of flight components of the hybrid electricaircraft, wherein the generator is configured to recharge at least abattery onboard the hybrid electric aircraft during operation; and aconnection mechanism at the housing, wherein the connection mechanism isconfigured to removably attach the fuel pod to the hybrid electricaircraft, wherein the fuel pod is selectively attached to the hybridelectric aircraft as a function of a flight plan or payload of thehybrid electric aircraft, and wherein the connection mechanismcomprises: a mechanical interface comprising a keyed locking mechanismconfigured to selectively lock the housing to the hybrid electricaircraft; an electrical interface configured to electrically link to atleast one of the plurality of flight components of the hybrid electricaircraft; and a communication interface configured to communicativelylink the fuel pod to the flight controller.
 2. The hybrid electricaircraft of claim 1, wherein the wing comprises at least a boom, whereinthe fuel pod is removably attached to the at least a boom of the hybridelectric aircraft.
 3. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 1, whereinthe generator is configured to electrically connect to at least anelectric motor of the plurality of flight components.
 4. The hybridelectric aircraft of claim 1, wherein the generator is configured topower at least an electric motor of the plurality of flight components.5. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 1, wherein the generator isconfigured to power at least a lift component of the plurality of flightcomponents.
 6. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 1, wherein thegenerator is configured to power at least a pusher component of theplurality of flight components.
 7. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim1, wherein the generator is configured to power at least a propulsor ofthe plurality of flight components.
 8. The hybrid electric aircraft ofclaim 1, wherein the fuel pod further comprises a computing deviceconfigured to communicatively connect with the flight controller of thehybrid electric aircraft.
 9. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 8,wherein the computing device is configured to communicatively connectwith the flight controller of the hybrid electric aircraft via thecommunication interface.
 10. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 9,wherein the communication interface is configured to conduct signalsbetween the computing device and the flight controller.
 11. The hybridelectric aircraft of claim 1, wherein the fuel pod further comprises atleast a sensor.
 12. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 11, whereinthe at least a sensor is communicatively connected to a computing deviceof the fuel pod.
 13. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 12, whereinthe at least a sensor is configured to detect an electric currentemanating from the generator.
 14. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim12, wherein the at least a sensor is configured to detect a fuel levelof the fuel tank.
 15. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 1, whereinthe connection mechanism further comprises a mating connector configuredto mate with the hybrid electric aircraft.
 16. The hybrid electricaircraft of claim 15, wherein the mating connector is configured to matewith an aircraft port of the hybrid electric aircraft.
 17. The hybridelectric aircraft of claim 16, wherein the mating connector isconfigured to mate with an aircraft port at a boom of the hybridelectric aircraft.
 18. The hybrid electric aircraft of claim 16, whereinat least a portion of the electrical interface and at least a portion ofthe communication interface is located at the mating connector.